New Beginnings
by elphiesglinda
Summary: What happened to Elphaba after she escaped from Oz? This is a three part story that explains what happens to the young witch as she tries to make a new life for herself. During her search for a peaceful life, she comes across some interesting characters...
1. Chapter 1

AN: Hi! This is Cynthia Krenshaw and MagicalIrishMusician again! We had so much fun writing the first one, we decided to create a joint account to post to. :) This particular one involves an OC of mine from Mortal Kombat. For anyone intrested in more of her background than this story will provide, it's Dreams of a Sonya Blade Junkie and Nightmares of a Sonya Blade Junkie! Have fun, Read and Review, and we LOVE feedback! This is going to be a trilogy, so strap in. It's going to be a wild ride. :)

Blows, from everywhere, from nowhere, she could feel every one acutely. Unable to protect herself, the voice that tormented her for a year of her life echoed in her ears.

"You've failed her again. Don't you get tired of trying?" The voice taunted, her friend reached through the haze, hands reaching desperately for her.

"Sonya!" Jessie screamed reaching into the darkness. The moonlight through the mini-blinds of the motel was the only light in the room. With fumbling hands, Jessie turned on the lamp next to the bed. Her wife beater shirt and shorts were soaked with sweat, clinging to her ripped muscular frame. It took a few deep breaths for her to realize that she was just dreaming, again. Pulling her knees into her chest, she rested her back against the headboard, and cried softly.

They told her it wasn't real, the two years she was in OIA. Sonya wasn't real, Shang Tsung wasn't real, the scars she carried all over her body weren't real, it was all a vivid dream from the attack she had suffered after the fight. All the product of a two week coma. Try as she might, she knew they were wrong; but really, who would believe that Raiden had taken her to a different universe where she was a soldier under Lieutenant Sonya Blade? That the beating she suffered was at the hands of Shang Tsung, a demon sorcerer, and not one of the abusers that wanted a piece of her for protecting the women at the shelter? No one would ever believe that;

Jessie got up, and showered. Changing into her jeans and promotional T-shirt, she headed across the street to the all night diner. Luckily at three in the morning, there was only the bickering customer, the waitress, and the cook in the restaurant.

(())

"No. No more shows." Elphaba told the short, heavy set man across from her, adamantly. She didn't care for those mud wrestling shows, and he knew it. Why he kept booking her for them was anyone's guess. She may have been in a bad spot, but she was getting close to getting away from this loser. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the woman come into the restaurant. Something about this athletic woman was familiar; finally it registered in Elphaba's mind. This was the fighter that she had seen on the ads for the past couple of weeks.

"You have to! The Green Grappler is our top attraction." He said, angrily.

"No, I don't. We lack something called a contract, Tony. I technically don't have to do anything." Elphaba reminded him.

"Be reasonable, Elphaba. You need the money, and I need the notoriety. You're doing the show."

"No, I don't want to do another show, Tony." She said angrily, her eyes began to harden when he didn't back off.

"You don't want to? Who the fuck cares what you want, you mutant. What else are you going to do but this?"

"I'll find something. I found you, didn't I?" Elphaba reminded him quietly, as she stood up. She needed to get away from him to clear her head before she said or did something stupid in public. The last thing she needs is for the cops to get involved.

"Don't you walk away from me!" He said loudly, grabbing her hand.

"Hey, asswipe, why don't you leave the lady alone?" Jessie said, taking a long drag off a cigarette, as the waitress poured her coffee. Elphaba turned to look at the other woman; she truly hoped that this woman would back off before Tony did something stupid. The bad thing about working for Tony was that he tended to make scenes in public.

"Why don't you mind your business, bitch?" He growled to Jessie.

"I will call the cops, Tony." The waitress warned. Elphaba paled, that was the absolute last thing she needed right now.

"Please, please don't do that. We'll leave." She offered.

"I'm not going anywhere! If that bitch minds her business, won't be no trouble." Tony said. Elphaba knew that his stubborn streak would win out and that a fight was inevitable unless the other woman backed down.

"Don't confuse me with your mother, there, Tony." Jessie said, with a smirk.

Elphaba tried to walk out, Tony grabbed her arm. Unfortunately he grabbed a deep bruise she had gotten in her last match, out of instinct Elphaba yelped from the sudden pain. Before she could blink Jessie had jerked her away, and put herself between Elphaba and Tony. _Oh, no._ Elphaba thought to herself, she turned on her heel and bolted out of the door. She didn't want to be around when the cops showed up.

(())

Jessie saw him reaching into his jacket. The waitress screamed her and the cook running to the back, as he pulled a nine millimeter. As soon as he pulled it, Jessie took the gun away from him. Dropping the clip out she unloaded the chamber, and disassembled the gun in the space of a minute.

"Any other toys you'd like me to break?" Jessie asked, with a grin.

"You shouldn't have done that." He said, pulling a knife.

"Ohhhh, a shiny toothpick." She chuckled as he swung it at her. She caught his wrist, hitting a pressure point. Once he dropped the knife she grabbed the back of his head, ramming it into the table. He landed on the ground, unconscious. "Are you OK?" Jessie asked, turning around, to find the woman gone.

"The cops are on their way." The waitress said, shakily.

"I'm so sorry about this, ma'am." Jessie said, sitting down at the bar.

"How did you do that?" The waitress asked, as Jessie got her cup of coffee.

"I was in the army, a lifetime ago. Did you see where the woman went?" Jessie asked, concerned.

"Hell no. When I saw the gun, I went to the back." Jessie gave her a nod.

"I gotta find her. Tell the cops I'll be back." She took out her wallet, getting out her ID, and handing it to the waitress, "I'll come back." Jessie said, heading outside. She walked around the building, not seeing the mysterious woman. Turning towards the street, she saw a figure running. Jessie ran after the figure, as she approached Jessie yelled at her to wait up. After a few moments Jessie realized the woman she was chasing had white skin. Stopping her pursuit, Jessie looked around to see where the green skinned woman could have gone.

Sighing Jessie walked back to the diner, head hung, as the police pulled up. After giving her statement and getting the story from the cook and waitress, they released her. Just in time for her manager and trainer to be running over.

"Jesus, Jess, are you OK?" Marcus asked, worriedly.

"I'm fine. When he wakes up, he will be too."

"What happened?" She gave Marcus the synopsis, watching his face change from concerned to pissed.

"Don't look at me like that. If he hadn't gotten rough, I wouldn't have interfered."

"Jess, wasn't it enough that one of the exs from that shelter you worked at almost killed you? What's it gonna take for you to learn your lesson?"

"A fucking miracle." She said, matter of factly, getting a sigh.

"Jess, be serious. You've got a fight tonight." Marcus said, shaking his head. He really knew better than to ask that question.

"Marcus, did you see a green skinned woman when you were walking over?" Jessie asked, getting an odd look.

"No, sorry. Was that what this was about?" He asked, getting a shrug.

"Not really. That was about a redneck piece of shit lowlife motherfucking worthless waste of air that will never EVER hurt a woman in front of me." She said, angrily. _Fuck, I must've scared that poor lady to death._ Jessie pounded her fist in sheer frustration.

"OK, Jess. OK!" Marcus said, putting his arm around her shoulder. Shaking her head in disgust, Jessie hangs her head as Marcus leads her back to her room. "Another nightmare, huh?" He asked, getting a nod.

"Yeah."

"You taking the medicine the doc gave you?"

"Nope." Jessie said, flatly, "I don't do medicine."

"You know they help." He scolded.

"No, they don't." She said, yawning, "Hey, would you mind getting my bike off the truck? I want to take a spin." Jessie asked.

"Here. The truck's in the front." He said, handing her the keys. Spinning the ring on her finger, Jessie walked to the front of the motel. She unlocked the trailer behind the truck.

"You really didn't have to do that…but thank you." The voice Jessie had been hoping to hear said from behind the trailer.

Turning around, "You're welcome, ma'am." Jessie said, looking her over. In the early morning sunlight, she seemed to glow. "Are you OK?" Jessie asked, worriedly.

"I'm fine. Yourself?"

"Yeah. He's not so tough when you take away his toys." Jessie said, with a shrug.

"You're lucky. I've seen him use that gun." Elphie said, relieved that he hadn't.

"Not lucky. Most people hesitate. You have at least a few seconds, if you don't panic." Jessie said, shrugging it off.

Elphaba quirked an eyebrow at that, this woman has received some serious training if she knows that kind of information. "That was impressive. May I ask where you learned?"

"If I told you, you would never believe me."

Elphaba chuckled at that, "You would be very surprised what I would believe." She paused for a few seconds before offering her hand, "I'm Elphaba."

Shaking her hand briefly, "Jessica, but everyone calls me Jessie or Jess."

"My friends call me Elphie." Elphaba offered, she released Jessie's hand. There was a hint of sadness in her eyes at the memory.

"Well, Elphie, I was about to go for a ride. Would you like to come with me?"

Elphaba hesitated, "I would prefer you call me Elphaba for now Jessie, and no thanks." Jessie seemed like a nice enough person, but she was honestly too tired and wary of her new acquaintance to go for a ride. "I'm too tired to ride; I might fall off the back when I fall asleep."

"I've got a room in the motel, if you'd like to get some sleep. Can't promise you anything more than a warm bed, but it's yours." Jessie offered.

"What's the catch?" She asked, curtly.

"No catch. I just don't want to see you go back to anywhere he can find you."

Elphaba shifts a bit uncomfortably, "What's in it for you?"

"I hope a new friend." Jessie said, looking her in the eyes.

The only other person that looked Elphaba in the eyes when she spoke was her best friend. Sighing Elphaba finally nodded her head, "OK, but be warned. If you try to hurt me, you will regret it." At least Jessie seemed to be respectful of personal space.

"Ma'am, I wouldn't hurt you to save my own life." Jessie said, leading her upstairs.


	2. Chapter 2

It was several hours later when Elphaba woke. The suitcase she had seen when she arrived was gone, and there was a note on her nightstand. Curious as to what it said, she opened it up, and began reading.

_Elphaba,_

_I'm sorry you're waking up alone like this. I had a few interviews and I have a fight tonight. Unfortunately, I'll be leaving straight from there. I booked this room for another week in advance, and there's some money in the brown envelope in the top drawer of the dresser. I hope it's enough that you don't have to go back to whatever situation you were in last night. You can stay here for the week, and make plans. I really hope you'll consider leaving that asshole._

_Jessie_

She finished reading the note, and shook her head. To someone on the outside, it would look like her and Tony were dating, not that she would give Tony the time of day past bookings. She looked in the nightstand, finding the envelope exactly where Jessie said it would be. She opened it up, and her eyes grew wide. It was filled to the brim with hundred dollar bills. With wide eyes, Elphaba began counting the money. She nearly cried for joy when she was done, fifteen thousand dollars. A complete stranger gave her fifteen thousand dollars for nothing. With that money, she only had to do one more show before she could get her documents. Soon this nightmare would be over, and she could live a good, legitimate life, and get a real job that didn't involve the sleazy shit she had to do now. That still left the show tonight. First things first she takes the envelope and walks out of the hotel.

(())

Jessie was distracted, more so than normal. She won her fight, and the belt, but it was much harder and longer than it should have been. She couldn't get Elphaba off her mind. She really hoped the fifteen grand she left would be enough for her to start away from that prick. Since the money came from her personal savings and not the fight purse, it wouldn't affect the shelter either.

"So, are you coming Jess?" Marcus asked, bringing her back from her thoughts.

"Coming where?" Jessie asked, confused.

"Where were you? The boys and I are going out to that club, you want to come?"

"You know I don't party like that. Besides, I just won. I don't want to get swamped under." Jessie said, with a shrug, as she picked up her duffle bag. Before she could leave, Marcus stopped her.

"Jess, you haven't been yourself since this morning. You could use the release."

"Release? For who, exactly?"

"Come on, kid. It'll be fun."

"Define fun." Jessie said, dubiously. She knew the kinds of clubs the boys frequented on these little jaunts, and they weren't really Jessie's thing. Seeing that Marcus wasn't going to let it go, she sighed, "If I go to this damn club, will you get off my ass?"

"After you leaving fifteen thousand dollars for a stranger in your room, not likely, but I'll leave you alone for the rest of the night."

"Lead the way." Jessie said, she knew Marcus meant well. He'd been like a father to her since she started training with him, and maybe he was right. Perhaps she could use something to forget about the mysterious Elphaba and just blow off some steam.

(())

"I knew you'd come crawling back. What, no bodyguard this time?" Tony taunted Elphaba, not that she hadn't been expecting this.

"From the look of the bruises on your face, maybe you should hire her. Have a rough morning?" Elphaba said, walking past him to change into her costume. Not that she considered a black thong bikini much of a costume.

"Just for that, you're getting the red lava volunteers match." Elphaba groaned, as he left chuckling. She hated that specialty shit. Thank god she hadn't had to do it since she first started. Being exotic helped her move up the chain a lot faster. The pretty smile that she learned how to fake didn't hurt either. But the reason she hated this part of the show was it was interactive. Anyone could pony up the fifty dollars, and spend three minutes wrestling with her in a pool of red unset jell-o. She really didn't like the other girls touching her in the mud, but she really hated this. In general, she didn't like to be touched especially by a bunch of drunk frat boys. Fortunately she averaged a grand during these matches. That would give her enough for the documents and a bus ticket out of this hellhole.

(())

"Hey, Jess, it looks like it's challenge night. What would it take for you to…."

"Not gonna happen, Rick. You guys are lucky I'm here in the first place." Jessie told the large blonde to her right.

"Yeah, her highness decided to come drinking with us commoners." Michael said, laughing. Michael was a little older than Rick, but he certainly didn't act it. He acted as though he was around twelve years old, a fact that Jessie normally loved but found incredibly annoying at the moment.

"I always hang out." Jessie countered, with a chuckled.

"Only because you want us to kiss your ring." Michael said, teasingly.

"I'll make you a deal. You can kiss my ass instead." Jessie said, cracking them all up, as they took their seats.

(())

Elphaba was not happy. _Last show. Last show._ She told herself, as she listened to the MC announce her match. Stepping out she had a beautiful smile as she waved to the crowd, but her eyes were furious.

"Tonight anyone, that's right, anyone can challenge our exotic green grappler to a match. Who will step up to the plate?"

(())

Jessie watched in wide-eyed shock, as Elphaba stepped out. She hadn't seen her, or if she did, she didn't indicate that she did.

"Jessie isn't that…." Marcus asked, getting a look from Jessie.

"Fifty bucks, right here." Michael said, waving the fifty. Jessie jerked it out of his hand.

"He changed his mind." She said, the MC just stared at the muscular woman.

"Jess, what's your issue? You want her first?" Michael said, before getting shot a look that could've easily killed him. She was beyond angry.

"Oh, look, it's the bodyguard." Tony said, Elphaba found her as she turned to look at Tony.

"Tony, don't be an idiot. I will talk to her, unless you want some new legs I suggest you stay over here." She moves around the ring towards Jessie, there are a few catcalls from the crowd as she approaches Jessie.

Jessie didn't flinch, but her anger continued to build as the catcalls began. When Elphaba was close enough she gives a wink to the crowd and motions for Jessie to lean in. Curious as to what she wants, Jessie leans in.

Elphaba whispers into her ear, "Listen, I really appreciate the help from earlier. However, I _have_ to do this tonight to have enough to get out. This is my last time doing this. The best thing you can do for me is let me do the show. I will meet you outside of the backstage door when this is over. Please, I really need this."

Jessie grinds her teeth but nods her head. She understands the situation a little better, but she still hates that Elphaba has to go through the ridicule of this match. Elphaba sighed in relief as she leaned back. The MC looked at Jessie with a grin, "Would the lady like the first round?"

Jessie looked at the MC, "How much to buy all the rounds?"

"Uh…we have never had that request before."

Tony walks up to the MC smirking at Jessie; he whispers a number into the MC's ear. Gulping he nods his head, "3000 for a five minute round."

Jessie almost laughs at that price and nods to Marcus, "Pay the man." Tony's jaw drops as well as Elphaba's and the MC's. Marcus almost complains, but knows Jessie well enough to know that she means it. He shells out the money and gives it to the MC who passes it to Tony.

The catcalls resume as Jessie enters the ring with Elphaba. Tony is chuckling in the corner as the bell rings for the match to start. Jessie walks towards Elphaba slowly; she reaches to put a hand on her shoulder. However, she is prepared for Elphaba to throw her onto the ground.

Elphaba takes Jessie's wrist and quickly flips her onto her back in the jell-o. She then quickly mounts her and leans down to whisper into her ear. "Thank you."

Jessie sighs in relief when she hears that. They wrestle fairly convincingly for the drunken crowd surrounding them. Elphaba ends up winning the match when the bell finally rings. Elphaba is shown as the winner to the cheers of the crowd. She makes her way out of the ring as Jessie goes back to join her friends. Tony is chuckling as the next girl goes out to do her red lava match.

"That was great kid! Perhaps we should look into grabbing some high rollers!" Tony is laughing as Elphaba towels off as best as she can.

"I want my money Tony." Elphaba sounds tired as she works on getting jell-o out of her hair. Tony just stares at her.

"What the hell are you talking about you want your cut?"

"I mean, I'm tired and I have jell-o all over me. I want my cut so I can take a shower and go to bed."

Tony relaxes as he shakes his head; he counts off the money before holding some out to her. "Here you go, I gave you a little extra for reeling that nosey bitch in."

Elphaba takes the money and counts it, $1,400 dollars. That was more than she expected from him. She quickly tucks the money into her waterproof wallet and tucks it into the top of her 'outfit'. Grabbing her clothes, she quickly slips into them. When she reaches the door, Elphaba turns to look at Tony.

"Hey Tony. I need to tell you something important. I quit."

Tony just stares at her like he is staring at a ghost. "What are you talking about you quit? You can't quit! You NEED me you green bitch."

Elphaba walks over to Tony, her voice grows hard as she glares at the piece of scum. She grabs the front of his shirt and pins him so that his face is pressed hard into the table that is set up as her 'dressing' area. His arm is pinned tight behind his back. "You listen to me you pathetic weasel. I DON'T need you anymore. I quit and I don't ever want to see your miserable face again. If I do I swear I will break something of value to you."

Tony yelps when she pins him to the hard wood. It feels like she is breaking his damn arm! He does his best to listen to what she is saying. He nods his head quickly, "OK! Ok, just let go of my arm please."

Satisfied, Elphaba releases him and turns to walk out. Tony stands back up and watches her walk towards the door, "You will regret this Elphaba. Someday you will come crawling back."

Elphaba turns on her heel and punches him square in the jaw. He goes limp as he is immediately knocked out. With a satisfied grin, Elphaba walks out the back door.


	3. Chapter 3

AN: Thank you everyone who is reading so far. Reviews are greatly appreciated.

Jessie went back to the table, and sipped her beer. She endured the good natured ribbing by Rick and Mike, but both would have stepped in and done the same thing had they known the woman.

Jessie didn't know her that well, but she didn't look comfortable with the match in general. After giving her a few minutes, she went to the back door Marcus accompanying her.

"3000 for a five minute match?" Marcus asked in disbelief.

"Did you see her eyes Marcus? She didn't want to be there, but she didn't have a choice."

"Your big heart is going to get you in a world of trouble someday."

"It already has." Jessie said, laughing, as they approached the back door. Elphaba walked through the door with a satisfied smirk on her face. Jessie was relieved to see a smile on her face.

"Red is your color." Elphaba teased Jessie.

"Hey, I don't have a locker room here remember? Elphaba this is Marcus. He is my trainer, manager, and all around pain in my ass." Jessie said, as Marcus laughed.

"Pleasure, Elphaba."

"Likewise."

"Now that I know you're in capable hands, you've got a flight at 6 AM, Jess."

"Thanks, Marcus." Jessie said, getting a nod, as he walked off.

"So, you won?" Elphaba asked.

"Yeah, I won. Although, I have to admit, losing to you in a vat of red slush was more fun." Jessie said grinning.

"Thanks. I really hate doing that match." Elphaba said.

"Well, you'll never have to do it again, so there's a good thing." Jessie said, getting a wide smile.

"Hopefully not."

"I've got a hotel room at the Grand for a few more hours. If you wouldn't mind letting me change, I'd love to take you out for a late night dinner." Jessie said, getting a slight smile.

Elphaba thought about it, honestly it would be the least she could do since this woman had helped her get the rest of the money she needed to get her documents. "I would like that. I'll meet you in the lobby in 45 minutes. I have to take care of some business first."

"Can I help?" Jessie offered.

"No, I need to do it alone." Elphaba said, she really didn't want Jessie to risk anything else to help her.

"Then I'll meet you there." Jessie said, walking off.

Elphaba took a deep breath. It wasn't that she didn't trust Jessie, but the men she was dealing with didn't like strangers at all. Turning, she left in the opposite direction. It didn't take her long to find the men she was looking for.

"The price went up." The man explained, getting a growl from Elphaba.

"We agreed on twenty thousand for a birth certificate, social security card, and a state ID. It's taken me six months to earn this."

"Then it's gonna take you six more. It's forty thousand now. Maybe you can talk to Tony. I'm sure he'll put you to work." The man said, with a smirk. Now it all made sense, no wonder Tony kept taking larger and larger cuts of her winnings. He wanted to keep her around as long as possible. The prick would pay for this.

"I'll just take my money elsewhere." She said, getting up.

"Your choice, but most people don't deal with mutants like you."

"I'll take my chances." She said, walking off. She would find another city and buy her documents there if she had to. Tony didn't have so much influence that he could stop her if she were somewhere else.

(())

Jessie was humming, as she walked towards the grand. She felt really good; better than she had in months, in fact. She always felt better when helping someone, and Elphaba seemed like a really nice lady in a bad situation. That made it even better.

"Hey, you're The Blade, right?" Jessie turned when she heard her fight name, to see three men following her.

"That's me. You enjoy the fight?" She said, slowing down for them to catch up.

"Hell no. I lost a fortune on that fight." One of them said, angrily.

"Next time, bet on me. You can't lose." Jessie said a cocky grin on her face.

"Why don't we just collect our losses from you, instead?"One of them said, pulling a blackjack out of his pocket. Instead of running, Jessie smirked and took a relaxed defensive stance.

"Your hospital bill." She said, calmly. The one with the blackjack swung, she kicked it out of his hand, following it up with a snap kick to his ribs. There was a cracking sound as he doubled over in pain. The other two started throwing punches. Jessie grabbed one of their wrists, eating the other's blows. With two motions she snapped his arm and turned her attention to the other, landing a hard blow to his jaw. She felt a sharp pain in the back of her head, and blacked out.

"My arm! The bitch broke my arm!" One of the men said, kicking her hard in the ribs.

"Shut your damn trap! I think she busted a couple of my ribs." He kicked her just as hard on the opposite side of her ribs as the first man.

"Cut it out. We're supposed to roll her, remember." the ringleader growled.

"Tony said work her over, too." The guy with the cracked ribs whined.

"Tony wants her worked over, he can do it himself." The leader said, helping up the man with the broken arm. The other reached in Jessie's pockets slowly; damn it hurt to bend with injured ribs, finding them empty other than a hotel key.

"What the fuck? Bitch has no money." The man said, angrily stomping her back.

"Probably gave it to the green one." The men began discussing it, as they walked off, leaving Jessie lying prone in the alley.

(())

Elphaba sat in the lobby of the grand feeling more than a little out of place. She had changed into a dress, but could still feel the eyes on her. This was why she didn't go out often. It had been an hour, and no signs of Jessie.

"Hey, it's the Green Grappler!" She groaned hearing her stage name. Turning around she saw Jessie's two friends from the bar, and the man that was with her.

"Don't let Jess hear you say that. You might lose your teeth." Marcus warned, getting a chuckle from the two men and a raised eyebrow from Elphaba.

"We're crashing. See you in the morning, Marcus." Rick said, walking off.

"Speak for yourself, I'm playing blackjack." Mike said, as Marcus sat next to Elphaba.

"I thought Jessie would've met you by now."

"I would have thought so, too." Elphaba said, sadly.

"That's odd for her. She keeps her appointments, no matter what." Marcus said, wondering what could have kept her away. He didn't have to wait long for the answer. Jessie staggered in, a pissed off look on her face, and favoring her left side. Marcus and Elphaba ran to her side.

"What happened?" Marcus asked, getting a shrug and a cough.

"Had a disagreement with some fans. Apparently they bet on the wrong one." Jessie said, coughing. Elphaba unconsciously flinched; she knew Tony's handiwork when she saw it. Honestly she was surprised that Jessie was walking at all right now. Not to mention the fact that she didn't tell Marcus the truth.

"Did they get anything?" Marcus asked, as they helped Jessie to the elevator.

"I doubt it. All I had was the room key." Jessie said with a groan.

Elphaba grimaces a little when she hears Jessie groan like that. "Why don't we just order some pizza or something instead? I think you would be more comfortable if you didn't have to walk around." Not to mention, Elphaba would much rather spend time locked away where Tony can't get to either one of them. At least until Jessie got onto her plane in the morning. Elphaba could hop on a bus from the airport and get the hell out of here.


	4. Chapter 4

AN: Sorry for the delay guys. We will start updating more regularly now that a majority of the craziness of the holidays is over. Please keep reading and as always reviews are greatly appreciated.

I'm so sorry, Elphaba. I really wanted to take you out tonight, but…" Before she could continue Elphaba stopped her.

"You weren't planning on getting attacked, and I'd feel more comfortable in private." Elphaba assured her, as Marcus helped her to her room. Now that she knows that Tony will be more aggressive about bringing her back, staying locked inside tonight sounds far safer for both of them.

"Shirt and pants off. Let's assess the damage." Marcus said, getting a nod from Jessie. She winced, pulling the ripped shirt off to reveal a white sports bra. Elphaba couldn't help but gasp when she saw the angry bruises on her sides and stomp marks on her back. When she turned to the side Jessie's body looked like it had been through a war, old scars on her back standing evidence. Elphaba recognized the scars as whip marks, a common punishment where she came from for serious offences.

"It looks worse than it is, I promise." Jessie said, trying to ease her mind. Marcus huffed in disbelief.

"Jess, raise your arms." Jessie tried to lift them, and yelped in pain. Marcus shook his head, "It looks just as bad as it is Jess, your ribs are bruised at least." Marcus said a hint of worry in his voice.

"I take a beating and keep on ticking. I'll be fine in the morning." Jessie said, attempting not to wince as she relaxes her arms.

Marcus chuckles as he shakes his head. "You can't help being a tough girl, can you?"

"Nope." Jessie said, smiling at him.

Turning to Elphaba. "Would you mind keeping an eye on Bonita Badass here? Keep her out of trouble?"

Elphaba grinned as she nodded her head, "No, I don't mind."

"Good, because I'm dying to play Texas Hold Em." Marcus said with a grin.

"Try not to blow your twenty percent before our flight." Jessie quipped.

"Says the woman that just paid three grand for a jello wrestling match." Marcus teased back.

"Would've been worth it at triple the price." Jessie gave a wink to Elphaba who looked uncomfortable with the conversation.

"She must like you Elphaba." Marcus said, patting Elphaba's shoulder as he walks over to the door, "Good luck, she's the worst patient ever." Jessie flipped Marcus off, as he left laughing.

"Did you really have your heart set on pizza?" Jessie asked, getting a shrug. She really hoped Elphaba said no.

"Not really, why?" Instead of answering, Jessie picked up the phone.

"This is Jessie Reynolds, room 1471. I'd like two surf and turf dinners, a bottle of Red Zinfandel, and one of the chocolate decadence brownie surprises. Oh, and a six-pack of coke. Thirty minutes is fine, thank you." Jessie said hanging up. "Just because I'm confined to this damn room doesn't mean I can't take you out to a proper dinner." She explained.

Elphaba's jaw dropped as she heard Jessie order dinner. She shifts on her feet a little uncomfortably, she really isn't used to someone being this nice to her. "Thank you, but I would have been just as satisfied with pizza."

"You deserve better than pizza." Jessie said, getting a shy smile, "Were you able to get that business taken care of?"

"No, it imploded on me." Elphaba said a bit frustrated and exasperated.

"What happened?" Jessie began to worry that something very shady happened to this wonderful woman.

"The men were associates of Tony's," She said, shaking her head. How she hadn't figured that out before now was still bothering her. Really, it should have been painfully obvious to her, but yet she still missed it.

"What were you trying to get?" Jessie asked curiously. Elphaba looked at her, trying to decide. No one knew her story and as nice as Jessie was, she wasn't sure she would understand either.

"I have to get an identity. We had agreed on twenty thousand. The money you'd given me plus what I saved was finally enough. When I got there, they doubled the price." There was a hint of anger in her voice as she recapped the exchange.

"What do you need an identity for?" Jessie was genuinely curious, there weren't very many reasons for someone to need an identity.

Elphaba's jaw clenches for a second at the question. She honestly shouldn't be surprised, but she still didn't intend to answer her question. "Jessie, don't take this the wrong way, but that' none of your business."

Jessie saw the reaction and made a note to not ask that question again. She understood trust issues and honestly didn't blame the woman. After having dealt with sleaze bags like Tony she isn't surprised by this reaction. "Fair enough. Look, I'll front you the rest." Jessie offered.

Elphaba's jaw dropped. "You don't know me., why would you give anything to me? What's in it for you?" Elphaba asked cautiously. She already felt like she sold her soul to Tony by doing those sleazy shows. She had no intention of selling or giving anything else away.

"I just don't like seeing any lady in a bad situation. If I can help you it's yours." Before Elphaba could respond the doorbell rang, the food had arrived. As room service was setting up, Elphaba used the time to assess the woman in front of her.

In the six months since she arrived here, she had never met anyone like Jessie. Most people reminded her of Ozians: selfish, petty, and willing to use anyone they could for their own benefit. Jessie had already given her a small fortune, and hadn't asked for anything in return yet, it was confusing to Elphaba. After the meal was set up, the staff left. Elphaba's stomach growled just from the look of the spread. "It looks delicious." she said as Jessie pulled out her chair. "Thank you."

"It really does. You are very welcome." Jessie said pouring her a glass of win, "So do you have a back up plan?" She sat across from her as Elphaba began eating her salad immediately.

Pausing between large bites, Elphaba takes a sip of wine before answering. "I'll get a bus ticket tomorrow and try again." She hadn't eaten since the diner the night before.

"Where will you go?" Jessie began eating her own as she waited for Elphaba to answer.

"Anywhere really, but I've heard Texas is nice. Where are you heading tomorrow Jessie?"

"LA. It's where I moved after…after I decided I didn't like Pittsburgh winters anymore." Jessie said, catching herself before she spilled too much information.

Elphaba noitced, but didn't mention it. Apparently she wasn't the only one of the two of them who had a history they would rather not talk about. "I've heard it's nice there too."

"Unless you've got your heart set on Texas you could come see it for yourself. With you love of tats you'd fit in perfectly?" Jessie had finished her salad and was moving on to the main course.

"Tats?" Elphaba was genuinely confused by her statement, she paused halfway through her main meal as she waited for further explanation.

Chuckling lightly at Elphaba's confused expression. "Yeah, that full body green tattoo you have. It must've costed a fortune."

Elphaba thinks about it for a minute, she almost doesn't tell Jessie the truth. However, this could be a good first test to see how trustworthy she really is. "No Jessie, this is my natural skin color."

"Really?" Jessie asked, with the innocence of a child.

"Unfortunately…you really thought it was a tattoo?" She hadn't heard anyone think that before to her knowledge. Most people think that it is a parlor trick of sorts that Tony is using to pull in more money. However, no one ever stepped up to test their theory about that.

"Yeah, I've never seen anyone with green skin before, "Jessie noticed how uncomfortable she looked, "It's beautiful on you though."

"You don't need to lie Jessie." Elphaba smiled shyly as she took a sip of wine. It was quite nice of Jessie to even say that.

"Good because I don't lie well. You're very beautiful and I really think you would like LA." Jessie said changing the subject.

"Perhaps, but I don't have the kind of money it takes to live there." Elphaba was very happy for the subject change. She continued to eat her main course a little slower now.

"No, but you've got a roommate., I rent a two bedroom. You can room with me until you find work." There was sincerity in her voice as she waited for Elphaba's answer.

Elphaba just stared at Jessie for a few long moments. Then she shook her head slowy, "Um…thank you Jessie, but…I don't think I could accept this offer. You have already done so much for me, I really couldn't burden you any more."

Jessie nods, "Well…now that I've won the championship, I'm going to be twice as busy as I have been. Marcus suggested that I hire a personal assistant to help me stay on schedule. Why don't you work for me as my assistant and I promise you a safe place to stay. It would be irresponsible of me if I asked you to move like this and couldn't provide a place for you to stay." Jessie truly hopes that Elphaba would accept this offer. She really wanted to help her get away from that sleaze bag and set up with good documents.

Elphaba looks at her, a little in disbelief, as she thinks it over. Sighing she finally nods her head, "Ok, but I want my own room" At least she wouldn't have to worry about Jessie trying to use her like Tony did. She honestly didn't believe that Jessie would do anything that shady. Her curiosity gets the best of her, "But why? You don't know me. Why are you doing this?" She just needed to know the answer to this question.

"Your own room is no problem." Jessie sipped the wine, thinking about the second question. She really had only explained it to Sonya. "When I was growing up, I watched by best friend get into an abusive relationship. She made me promise not to do or say anything. He hit her in front of me. I decided that no one would ever do that in front of me again and I'd help anyone trying to get out of that kind of situation." Jessie said, clearing her throat to stop the tears. She hated that memory almost as much as the memories of Shang's Island.

Elphaba looked at her and nodded that explained a lot actually. She fully relaxed as she began to eat the very tasty looking brownie. "Then I accept graciously. On the agreement that I will pay you back for your kindness someday."

"Call me friend and we can call it even Elphaba." Jessie smiled, happy that Elphaba agreed to work for her and go to LA.

"My friends call me Elphie." Elphaba said with a warm smile.

"Ok Elphie. Let me page Marcus, he can get you a ticket on the morning flight." Jessie said as Elphaba's face fell.

"No he can't. I don't have an ID remember?" Elphaba pouted a little as she thought about it. Could that awful man really keep her pinned down here?

"Then we'll drive. It's only a five-hour ride. I'm dying to break in my new bike." Jessie said excitedly.

Elphaba stared at her in sheer disbelief, was there an end to this woman's generosity? "You are willing to do all of this? And you really don't want anything in return?" She said, making sure she understood correctly.

"I wouldn't say I don't want anything in return." Elphaba's gut twisted at those words. "I want to see you be safe and happy. That's all the thanks I want." Jessie said as Elphaba studied her eyes. She had the same honest, earnest look on her face that Glinda did. A part of her felt guilty for assuming the worst when Jessie started that last sentence.

"You are very different than anyone I've met Jessie." Elphaba said shaking her head in disbelief. She was down to the final bite of her brownie. Looking over she noticed that Jessie had finished all of her food already and was on her second glass of wine.

"Considering the company you keep, I'll take that as a compliment. How long will it take you to get packed?" She hoped that they wouldn't have to go anywhere near wherever Tony was currently holed up. That probably wouldn't end well right now.

"I already am." Elphaba said, motioning to the backpack.

Sighing in relief, "Then we'll head out in the morning. We'll just head back ahead of everyone else, make yourself comfortable. If I don't get into an alcohol bath soon the stiffness is going to set in." Jessie said getting a nod, with a smile she polished off her second glass of wine before heading to the bathroom to soak.

Elphaba watched her leave, barely able to speak. Even in Oz, she was rarely shown this much kindness. She couldn't make heads or tails of Jessie, she seemed to be a force of nature all to herself. Jessie reminded Elphaba a lot of Glinda in that way. Glinda was the first person to simply accept Elphaba, green skin and all. In fact, until Jessie, she seemed to be the only one that ever would. Elphaba desperately wanted to trust herself, and let herself trust Jessie. However after everything, she still couldn't help but wonder what the fighter wanted with her.

()

Jessie drew a hot bath, pouring in green alcohol. She did it after every fight to stop the aches that came when the adrenaline rush wore off. Stripped down she hissed as she slid in. Closed her eyes she let her thoughts roam and found herself smiling.


	5. Chapter 5

Elphaba gathered all of the dishes and called for room service to come back up and clear out the empty dishes. She heard Jessie get into the bath and felt guilty for how much she had gotten hurt. Honestly she feels like it is completely her fault that Jessie got hurt at all. She decided to do what she could to fix this when Jessie went to bed.

Elphaba laid down on the couch and pretended to sleep. She listened for Jessie to get out of the bathroom and go to bed.

Jessie slowly eased out of the tub wincing from the pain in her ribs. The ride tomorrow was going to be difficult, but she would make it work. She has been more beat up than this and rode for a longer distance. When she walked out of the bathroom she saw Elphaba sleeping peacefully on the couch. She smiled as she pulled a blanket over the other woman.

Jessie made her way into the bedroom and laid down on the large bed. She was asleep in a matter of seconds. Elphaba waited for five minutes after she heard Jessie lay down before getting up. She snuck into Jessie's room and looked over her. Hovering her hands over Jessie's body she silently says a healing spell as a faint green glow moves from her hands into Jessie's body. When Jessie wakes up all of her injuries will be gone. With a soft smile, she quietly leaves the room and settles back on the couch.

()

Jessie bolted awake, gasping from another nightmare. She was fully expecting the usual shockwave of pain that ran through her when she did that after a fight. To her surprise, it didn't hurt. In fact, nothing hurt not even the bruises on her sides. She shook off the weird feeling that thought produced and went to the bathroom. With a passing glance in the mirror her jaw dropped. She didn't have a scratch on her! How was that even possible? Jessie spent at least ten minutes inspecting herself in the mirror. She still couldn't believe what she saw and felt. Finally snapping out of her inspection she put on a tank top and sweats before walking into the living room, glad to see Elphaba still asleep. She had fully expected the woman to bolt at her first opportunity, and was relieved she hadn't. Going into the hallway she walked down to Marcus's room and knocked on the door. On the third knock, he answered.

"Jess, are you OK? It's four in the morning." Marcus said, yawning.

"Yeah, I'm OK. I'm better than OK in fact." She said, lifting her shirt. Revealing that all the bruises were gone.

His jaw drops when he doesn't see any marks on her, "Holy shit! How did that happen?"

"I don't know Marcus, I really don't. But since it is better, Elphaba and I are going to ride to LA."

"Elphaba and I?" Marcus asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, she's going to be my roommate until she gets on her feet." Jessie said, getting a deep sigh.

"Jess, this is turning into Pittsburgh, again."

"Don't start on me. I'm not asking you. I'm telling you she's coming with us."

Marcus begins to massage his temples, "Jess…."

"Don't Jess me Marcus. She deserves better, and she's never going to find it with that asshole cutting her off at the knees every chance he gets." Jessie stated.

"Jess, you don't know her. Think about it. She could be some psycho that'll chop you to death with an ax in your sleep. Or some junkie that will steal everything you own the first chance she gets. How do you know she doesn't want this life?" He isn't trying to be mean towards Elphaba, but he is more worried about Jessie getting in over her head…again.

"If she did, she wouldn't have agreed to come. She's my new personal assistant." Jessie informed him.

"I hope you know what you're doing." Marcus said, defeated. He had learned a long time ago that when Jessie made up her mind to do something nothing would stop her.

"Don't I always? By the way, when's the Martial Arts Monthly photo shoot?"

"Day after tomorrow." He was wondering where she might be going with this.

"Good, then I have time to ride." Jessie said, grinning.

"I'll have your bike ready for check out time." Marcus said, patting her shoulder, "I'm just looking out for you." Of course she would want to ride the bike. Now that she was healed he saw no reason to deny her riding the new bike.

"I know." Jessie said, before going back to her room. Once inside she settled into a comfortable chair and got the notebook computer out of her bag. She checked her social media sites and checked her email.

Jessie had a loyal fan base for a reason, because she was equally loyal to them. She personally answered every email, every tweet, and every post. Some days, that relationship with her fans was the only thing that got her through the day. Once she had her notebook warmed up and saw all of her emails, she got up to make a pot of coffee. She poured herself a cup before going on the balcony so she wouldn't disturb Elphaba.

Elphaba woke up when the sun rose, stretching she looked around for Jessie. She saw her sitting out on the balcony, smiling she gets up and pours herself a cup of coffee before joining Jessie outside. "Jessie?"

Elphaba's voice broke her out of her concentration, turning she gave Elphaba a wide smile. "Hi, sleep well?" She asked, getting up to pull out Elphaba's chair.

"Just fine. Yourself?" Elphaba asked as she sat down.

"Not really, but I rarely do. I woke up feeling better, though." She raised her shirt, revealing that all the bruises were gone.

Elphaba smiled when she saw the bruises were gone. "That's different."

"Yeah, it is. It wouldn't be the first time I've had miracles like this happen." Jessie said casually.

"Really?" Elphaba asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah but don't ask. Nobody believes me, I doubt you would." Jessie said dismissively, "Breakfast should be here in about an hour. I ordered everything on the menu, I wasn't sure what you liked."

"Thanks for ordering breakfast." Elphaba was still floored by Jessie's generosity; however, her curiosity about that previous comment got the best of her. "Try me."

Jessie looked at her for a few seconds, getting her thoughts together. Two doctors had already put her on medication for this story. On the other hand, Elphaba might actually understand.

"Well…a God healed me. I had a third degree burn all over my back. According to the doctors, it was a figment of my imagination. You see I was in a coma for two weeks from a beating. The doctors say it was all a dream." Before Jessie could go any farther, the doorbell rang. Grateful for the pause, she lets room service come in and deliver their breakfast.

Elphaba inwardly sighed, as she watched them set up the spread. _At least she won't suspect me._ Elphaba thought to herself. When they finished, Elphaba watched Jessie tip them and leave.

"That doesn't look like a figment of your imagination to me." She said, motioning to Jessie's side, as Jessie pulled out her chair.

"Yeah, but it can't be him." Jessie said as she sat down. Raiden wouldn't even know where to find her right now. If he did, he would've come for her. Then maybe Sonya wouldn't be a slave to Shang. When Elphaba sat down Jessie realized that she had forgotten something, "I'm sorry. I usually pull out the chair. Your comment just got me distracted." She was surprised when Elphaba laughed.

"You're the first person to do that for me." She said, honestly.

"Really? You've definitley been hanging out with the wrong people." Jessie said, making her two plates with some of everything. Elphaba looked at her with an inquisitive look, "What?"

"Do you do this for everyone?" Elphaba was genuinely curious.

"No, only ones that deserve it." Jessie said, a bit distractedly. Elphaba wondered what she meant by that, as she watched Jessie smear a bagel with Cream Cheese and Jelly.

"And what makes you think I deserve it?"

"I dunno, you just do. You're about to embark on a new life, away from whatever shit you were going through. I can't change it, as much as I want to. But I can tell you that whatever it was will never be your life again unless you want it to be." Jessie said, her voice calm and resolute.

As Jessie spoke, Elphaba had a flashback. It was a cold, dark night when she first arrived in this world from Oz. She had landed in a cornfield somewhere in the middle of Kansas. It had taken her a few days to fly to a city that was big enough for her to disappear in. The first thing she did when she got to the city was hide her broom and the Grimmerie in a bus locker. She spent weeks trying to find work, but nobody wanted to hire a green skinned woman. Well...no legitimate businesses did anyway. Every night, Elphaba would see women being led to street corners by men who looked like they were up to no good and left there. Some of those men tried to hire her for work, but Elphaba had no intention to work for any of them.

She almost got in as a bartender, but the owners didn't want to pay her the same wage as the other bar tenders. One weekend she had realized that the only way she would ever get a job would be to actually have legal documents saying that she is a citizen. That was the night that she was asking around in the dark alleys for anyone who might know how to get some documents like that. The men she found gave her a steep price of twenty thousand dollars. They also gave her the name of a man that would help her make that money, they promised that he wasn't a pimp but a manager. The flashback ends and Elphaba refocuses on Jessie.

"I think you've got the wrong idea. I'm not in a relationship with Tony. I worked for him, that's all. I was homeless when I arrived, and he gave me food, a job, and a place to stay. I do his little stripper shows, or the mud wrestling, and he gives me a percentage of what I made that night." The shame of that fact was obvious, both from her voice and her not being able to make eye contact, "So if that's what you think you're protecting me from, you can stop now."

"Who said I was protecting you from anything. A lady like you can handle herself." Jessie said, taking a bite of the bagel. She honestly thought it was something like that.

"So why are you doing this then?" Elphaba asked, sipping the coffee and gauging Jessie's reaction.

"Is this the life you want? Mud wrestling and stripping in some sleazy club?"

"Of course not." Elphaba scoffed.

"Then why are you trying to talk me out of helping you?"Jessie asked, point blank. Elphaba took a breath. Jessie was a little more acute than Elphaba had given her credit for.

"I'm not. I just want you to understand that I'm not in as bad of shape as you might think." She said, watching Jessie sip the coffee.

"Oh, really? I tell you what I see. I see a proud, strong woman that has been reduced to stripping just to survive. Not forever, but until she had enough to get away. I see a woman with big dreams of an honest life, far away from the sleaze she's dealing with now. I saw a way to help you on your journey. Nothing more nothing less." Jessie said, softly.

Elphaba shook her head. "Jessie, I …. I don't even know how to thank you for this."

"You just did. Do you have anything left in Vegas you need to get?" Jessie asked, getting a nod.

"Just two more things, and they're at the bus station."

"Good, we'll stop there first and eat. I've got to get my stuff together." Jessie said, going to the bedroom. She couldn't help but wonder what had happened to make Elphaba so paranoid about accepting a hand up. She reminded her a bit of herself at one point in her life. Before Kathy and the doctor took her into the shelter. She started packing her luggage. If traffic was decent, this would be a memory for her new friend in a matter of hours.

()

The trip from Vegas was an uneventful one. After a quick stop at the bus depot, Jessie hit the interstate, and was in Los Angeles in a matter of hours. Elphaba was in shock, when they pulled in front of a run down brick building. Taking the helmet off, she looked at Jessie wide-eyed.

"You live here?" She asked, as Jessie unlocked the door.

"Yeah, Marcus and I own it. We went fifty fifty on it when we got here." Jessie explained, letting her inside. Elphaba breaths a sigh of relief once she sees that the inside was much nicer than the outside. Jessie took her up in the elevator to the third floor. It was spacious, and all Jessie had in it was a sofa, entertainment center, computer, and a desk. Her kitchen was large, and from the pans Elphaba could tell she loved to cook, "So what do you think?" Jessie asked, nervously.

"It's nice. Nicer than I've been in." Elphaba admitted, much to Jessie's relief.

"Let me show you your room." Jessie led her to the bathroom. Elphaba's eyes went wide, seeing a brand new king sized bed.

"Where are you going to sleep?"

"I usually sleep on the couch with the TV on. The background noise helps me sleep." She admitted, "The guys should be here any minute. Just make yourself comfortable. I'll be back." Jessie said, heading back downstairs. Elphaba collapsed on the bed, letting the softness engulf her. She was asleep in minutes.


	6. Chapter 6

Jessie went downstairs and waited for Micheal, Rick, and Marcus. She thought over Elphaba's dilemma as she waited. A long time ago Jessie did the occasional bouncing/bodyguard gig. It was a quick score when Kathy needed money back home, perhaps some of those old connections could help Elphaba. Getting out her cell phone, she dialed a number.

"Big K? This is Jess. Swing by the dojo when you get a chance. I need to talk to you about something." She said, before hanging up.

Marcus walked into the dojo and saw Jessie setting up the practice dummies. "Good to see you made it in one piece." Marcus said, hugging her.

"Yeah, I hid all the axes." Jessie said with a wink before returning the hug.

"How's she doing?"

"Still a little shell shocked, I think. She's sleeping upstairs." Jessie said, closing the door behind Marcus.

Marcus nodded his head as he put a hand on Jessie's shoulder, "She'll be OK, Jess."

Sighing softly, "I know, I know, I called K. Hopefully he can get her what she needs."

"If he can't, I don't know anyone that can." Marcus said, truthfully.

Shaking her head, Jessie decides to change the topic. "Did you run the pack over to the hospital?"

"Yeah. Josie says come see her, by the way."

Jessie grinned, "I'll go by some time this week. I gotta call Kathy, and get the money wired." Jessie said, more to herself than Marcus.

"Why don't you keep some of it this time?" Marcus suggested.

"I just might. I've got an extra person on the payroll now." Jessie said, helping him set up the dummies and the bags, "And I want her to get herself a wardrobe. All she had was a backpack, a book, and a broom. Apparently Tony took care of everything else for her." Jessie landed a punch on one of the bags, sending it swinging. She wished that she were punching that sleaze bag instead of the sand filled punching bag.

"She's going to be OK, Jess." Marcus said, patting her shoulder.

"I know she is. I just…I don't know."

"Yeah, you do." Marcus said knowingly as he unlocked the doors.

()

Elphaba woke up, not wanting to. She snuggled back into the sheets and the warm blanket. This felt so much better than the cot and old wool blanket she was used to in the back of the club. In fact, Elphaba couldn't remember a time when she felt so rested and comfortable, not even in Oz. With a low groan, she forced herself to get up. Going to the kitchen, she found a pot of coffee made. She smiled as she read the attached note.

_I'm downstairs if you need anything. I help Marcus instruct during the day._

Elphaba made herself a cup of coffee, and sat on the couch. Turning on the TV, she absently flipped through the channels. She was having trouble wrapping her head around this. How could anyone be so willing to help her and want anything in return? She did three shows a day just to be able to live in the club. Tony took better than half of the money she made every night for the rent. Jessie, on the other hand, just told her to make herself at home. It was an absolutely amazing difference.

()

"Hai!" Jessie shouted, demonstrating a kick for a group of students. As it connected on the bag, she saw a tall black man in a leather jacket enter the dojo.

"Watch out!" One of the kids called out. Seeing the bag coming, Jessie bent into a backbend, catching the bag with another kick. She flipped back to her feet, and steadied it.

"Whoa! Cool!" Jessie heard, bringing a grin to her face.

"Marcus, take over for me." Jessie said, before bowing to the kids and Marcus.

"Can you show us how to do that?" Jessie laughed, hearing that, as she made her way to the man.

"Sup, Jess?" He said, giving her a quick hug.

"I need a favor." Jessie said, leading him to the office.

()

When Jessie finally made it back upstairs, she was absolutely exhausted. All that she had in mind was to go to sleep. She loved teaching the kids and the self-defense classes, but they wore her out. Especially right after a fight day. Walking in, she was shocked to see Elphaba cooking.

"Hey!" Jessie announced herself with a grin, "I would've cooked for you, you know."

Elphaba grinned, "I know. After everything you've done, at least I can have a hot meal waiting for you." She set the plate she had made for Jessie on the table. Baked chicken, mashed potatoes, green beans, rolls, and a glass of wine.

"Damn, that looks good." Jessie said, as Elphaba made herself a plate, "Thank you."

"You're welcome." Elphaba answered as she carried her plate over to the table.

Jessie pulled Elphaba's chair out before going to sit in her own chair. "I was talking to Marcus earlier. We both think an advance is in order. You need some clothes." Jessie said, getting a sigh.

"Jess…."

"No, really. You can get both casual and business attire. We've got a business credit card, we're getting you a wardrobe."

"Jess, you just gave me fifteen thousand dollars." Elphaba reminded her.

Jessie shook her head, "Not for that. I want you to put that away for a rainy day."

Elphaba's jaw hung open for a few seconds, how could this woman afford to just give away this much money? "If you say so."

"I do. I'll go with you tomorrow morning." Jessie stated with a smile.

Elphaba frowned a little, "I don't need an escort."

"You're new in town. What kind of friend would I be of I just turned you loose?" Jessie said casually.

"A good one. Jessie, I can do this on my own. I don't need a chaperone." Elphaba said, as they ate.

Jessie held her hands up in surrender, "OK, if that's what you want. I just wanted to offer some help."

Elphaba felt a little guilty for snapping at her like that, "Thanks for the offer, but I'll be fine on my own."

Jessie considered arguing but decided to drop it. One thing she learned well was to pick her fights carefully. They were getting along too well to risk everything blowing up over something so simple as clothes.

()

Elphaba had never enjoyed shopping, but she found herself enjoying this tremendously. She would have been hard pressed to say if it was because her new friend was picking up the tab or if it was the fact that no one in the stores batted an eye at her. Of course, compared to some of them, she looked fairly average. Perhaps she _had_ picked the wrong city to start over in. Elphaba thought all of this over as she left the shoe store and headed towards a store that had women's business suits in the window.

()

Jessie didn't bother to argue with Elphaba; especially not over something she was going to do anyway. Working in OIA taught her how to disguise herself and blend in fairly well. The long blue wig she was wearing and black leather jacket blended in with the rest of the crowd perfectly. She kept her distance from Elphaba, but didn't feel comfortable just letting her roam yet. A part of her was still worried that the scumbag might try something.

()

Elphaba had a wide smile on her face, as she excited the store in a business suit. It fit her to a tee, and she felt more confident than she had in a long time. The short heels she was wearing clicked on the sidewalk as she made her way towards the next store.

"Whooo, you clean up nicely, Elphaba."

Elphaba's jaw clenched when she recognized the voice immediately. Turning she sees one of Tony's goons. "What do you want?" Her voice is hard as she glares at the scrawny man.

"Tony wants to know when you're gonna be done with this little vacation. You've got a show tomorrow night." The man said, getting a laugh from Elphaba.

"I'm not sure if you heard, but I quit." She stated.

He quickly grabbed her arm roughly. "No one quits on Tony." He said, flatly.

Elphaba's glare deepened as she shook her arm out of his grip. "I did yesterday." She said before walking away from him. She hoped that he wouldn't keep pursuing her; she needed to duck into a store and change her skin color at the nearest opportunity. Perhaps she should have let Jessie come shopping with her.

Pissed that she walked away from him, the man moves towards her. He walked in front of her to block her path. "Just come on. If you're banged up, Tony's gonna have my ass." He said, reaching for her arm again. Without hesitation she pushed it away, and kicked him in the groin. Seeing two more approaching, Elphaba ran off towards the nearest store.

()

Jessie moved the moment that Elphaba kicked him. Tossing her blue wig as she sprinted after the other two, tackling the first one to the ground. With one hard punch, he was out. Jessie looked up, seeing the other running right at her. Grabbing him by the waist, she used his own momentum to drive him headfirst into one of the carts on the side of the road knocking him out.

"Sorry, dude." Jessie said to the vender, before running off. She could see Elphaba in the distance enter one of the stores. She ran into the store right behind her, back to the changing rooms. Seeing one of the doors shut, she knocked on it, "Elphaba?" When the door opened, Jessie's jaw hit the floor, seeing the same white skinned woman she saw running from the diner the other day.

Elphaba's face fell a little when she saw Jessie's reaction, holding her hands out she talks in a calm voice. "Jessie, don't panic."

Jessie recognized the voice, but was completely confused right now. "How?"

"I'll explain it, all of it. Just not right here, OK? We've got to get out of here before they come in here." Elphaba said, taking her hand, and leading her out. She needed to get both of them out of here as quick as possible. To anyone else, they were two girls walking to the car. Even Jessie had a hard time believing the green woman that walked in was the white woman walking out.

Jessie followed behind her in stunned silence. "My bike's over here." Jessie said, motioning to it. They got on, and rode off. When they got away from the stores, Jessie heard Elphaba mumble something. She nearly wiped the bike out when Elphaba turned from white to green on the back of her bike. What the hell was going on?!

By the time they got back to the dojo, Jessie was more confused than ever. She carried Elphaba's bags upstairs. Neither had said a word since they rode off. Jessie didn't even know where to begin. She was upset, unsure of what to make of any of this. Putting the packages in the bedroom, she looked at Elphaba.

"You said you would explain." Her voice is hollow as she finally brings herself to look at Elphaba.

Elphaba took a deep breath before looking at Jessie, "Yes I did. Let me ask you what you think it was." She remembered Jessie talking about a God healing her in the past. Perhaps she knows magic when she sees it and Elphaba won't have to talk about her past in Oz right now.

Jessie looks over the green woman carefully, "It looked like magic to me."

With a short nod, Elphaba breathed a sigh of relief. "Yes, it was magic. I have the ability to use magic." She sees Jessie stiffen at that statement and adds, "But I don't like using it unless it is absolutely necessary."

Jessie stiffens as she remembers the last time she had met a magic user. It still haunts her at how evil that bastard Shang was. She sets her jaw as she really looks over Elphaba, her eyes watching the green woman carefully. "How can you use magic?"

Elphaba becomes worried when she sees Jessie looking at her like that. It reminded her of how some people would look at a dangerous animal that was about to kill them. "I was born with the ability to use magic."

Jessie is still nervous, but doesn't want to believe that the nice lady sitting near her is as evil as that bastard Shang. "What do you use it for?"

Elphaba senses that Jessie is very nervous about this topic. "I don't like using my magic unless it is absolutely necessary. As a rule I don't use it on anyone else." At least not anymore, her results were not so good when she used it on others back in Oz.

Jessie thought that over. If Elphaba were anywhere close to as evil as Shang is, Tony would be dust in the wind, and so would anyone else that dared look at the woman wrong. She wasn't overly comfortable, but she didn't hate it either.

"So I don't have to worry about waking up as a frog?" _Or soulless, or dead_ Jessie added in her mind, smiling a little.

"No, I wouldn't turn you into a frog." Elphaba said, chuckling, "You would make a far better eagle." She said with a playful grin. Now that Jessie seemed to be relaxing Elphaba smiled. At least she didn't seem to mind too much that she could use magic. Hopefully whenever she finally told Jessie that she was a witch she would take it just as well.

"So what's the real deal with that asshole?" Jessie asked, getting Elphie a beer out of the fridge.

"He hired me when I first got to Vegas. He hates loosing his performers, especially me. I'm what they call a _one of a kind_ attraction." Elphaba said, bitterly. Even here she was on display, it absolutely disgusted her.

"He must be pretty connected to try to force you from here." Jessie observed, as they sat on the couch, sipping the beer.

"He likes to think he is." Elphaba said as she sipped on her beer, "He's connected enough to block me from getting my documents."

Jessie hadn't taken her eyes off Elphaba, trying to process the magical information. "What else can you do?"

"Just move and try again." Elphaba sighed; honestly she had hoped that she could start over here.

"No, with your magic. What else can you do?" Elphaba looked at her with a small smile. Jessie heard the refrigerator open, and stared open mouthed when two beer bottles flew into view.

"You looked like you needed a refill." Elphaba said with a smirk.

"Now that was cool!" Jessie said grinning wide, as she grabbed both beers.

"Thanks." Elphaba was happy to see Jessie relax a little.

"Magic is cool, as long as it's not trying to kill me." Jessie said, getting an eyebrow raise.

Elphaba couldn't help but wonder who had tried to hurt Jessie with magic. Perhaps she could discuss it with Jessie later. "I couldn't imagine trying to hurt anyone with it." Not that she hadn't when she used magic, however unintentional.

Jessie nodded, "I believe you, Elphie." Jessie silently studied her. Magic? Anything else would be easier to accept than magic. Perhaps she should have asked a few more questions before just accepting her as her new personal assistant.


	7. Chapter 7

Even Marcus had to say that hiring Elphaba was the smartest thing that Jessie had ever done. She had Jessie's schedule running silky smooth. Jessie, who was notorious for being late to everything but fan functions, was on time for press galas and photo shoots. Marcus didn't know if he should give Elphaba a raise or just set the two of them up on a date. It was hilarious to watch the two skate around the issue. Marcus chuckled, watching Jessie avoid anything resembling a date, and Elphaba do the same. If someone didn't do something, Jessie would stare at the woman for years and never say a word. Marcus watched Elphaba work at the computer, waiting for his opportunity. He got two cups of latte, knocking on the office door.

"Marcus, can I help you?" Elphaba asked, curious why he was there.

"No, I thought you could use some coffee." Marcus said, offering her a cup and hearing her sigh audibly.

"Thank you Marcus, you are a lifesaver." She said, taking the cup and sipping on it eagerly, "I thought I might've been in trouble for Jessie being late to the appointment this morning."

Marcus chuckled softly, "Late? Not for her. She hates interviews; I always factor in thirty extra minutes from the time I tell you. So she was actually fifteen minutes early."

Elphaba chuckled, "Yeah, she doesn't seem to like the mass attention."

"If she could spend her days teaching the kids and interacting with fans she'd be thrilled." Marcus agreed.

"But she does handle it rather well, she is very humble."Elphaba noted.

"She's like that with everything. She'd rather her name not be attached to anything." No matter how hard Marcus tries to get her to accept awards she just doesn't want the attention.

"It's a strange trait, especially given the fact that she is the champion." Elphaba has noticed that most other champions in this world seem to enjoy all of the attention they get for being the champion.

"But it's Jessie. Lovable good hearted sucker." Marcus said, the affection and pride evident in his voice, "Are you doing anything tonight?"

"Not really, I was just going to make sure Jess's itinerary for the rest of the week is ready to go. Why do you ask?"

Marcus chuckles leave it to Jess to find another woman who has a similar work ethic to herself. "Well, the guys and I are gonna have a pizza and movie night, we were hoping you might get Jess there."

"She doesn't have any plans, I'm sure I can arrange it. I'll make myself scarce." Elphaba had noticed how much Jess had been working recently. Perhaps a night with her friends would be a good way for her to relax.

"No, don't do that. We want you there. You're part of our team now. About time you acted like it." Marcus was going to finally try to get these two together on a date-ish type evening.

"Thank you, Marcus. I'll be there too." Honestly it had been a very long time since she had been invited to anything. At least it was only a small group of people.

"And what kind of Pizza do you want?" He asked, getting a shrug.

"Veggie works." Marcus nodded, leaving. It honestly took Elphaba a few minutes to process what had just happened, as she sipped the latte, smiling wide.

()

Jessie finally had a free day, other than the one morning meeting. She got to make it down to see her fans at the hospital and the boys and girls clubs. When she got back, she looked rejuvenated, practically skipping into the gym.

"Jess, where have you been?" Rick asked, seeing the wide smile on her face.

"I had a free day." She walked over to Rick and began straightening out some practice dummies.

"You forget it was movie night?" He asked.

Jessie stopped what she was doing and looked at him,"Shit, is it?"

"Yeah, and we've got two doozies. An oldie but goodie and something even you haven't seen." There was a confident smirk on his face when he mentioned the new movie.

"Finding one I haven't seen is going to be quite a challenge." Jessie stated as she finished straightening out the dummies.

"Mikey found it yesterday. I've never even heard of it."He said.

"Sounds like fun." Jessie said a smile crossing her face as she saw Elphaba walk into the room.

Rick chuckled. He'd never seen Jessie react like that to anyone. It was a relief, she was so serious all the time, it was nice to know she could relax, "Elphie, we're doing movie night tonight. You coming?"

"Yeah, Marcus invited me." Elphaba said with a smile.

"Awesome! Apparently they've got one I haven't seen before. I'm a major movie buff, so I can't wait to see it." Jessie said, excitedly.

"We'll meet you upstairs around sixish." Rick said, he saw the two women looking over each other and felt a bit like a third wheel.

"I'll have the pizza ready." Jessie said, as he walked off.

"I haven't seen too many movies." Elphaba admitted, as Jessie carried over a brown bag.

"Plenty of time to catch up. I thought you might like lunch." She said, shyly.

Elphaba smiled, taking the bag and looking inside. "Tuna on wheat and pasta salad. Good choice." Elphaba said, heading back to her office.

Jessie stayed put, unsure if to follow or stay behind. She felt her stomach twist up when she talked to Elphaba sometimes. But she knew that wasn't what Elphie needed. She needed a friend to help her get back on her feet, nothing more nothing less.

Elphaba looked up, seeing Jessie still outside. She really was extremely respectful, a fact Elphaba was grateful for, sometimes she was too respectful. She would've enjoyed Jessie's company for lunch today, but she also didn't want to force Jessie into anything. It was nice to have someone hanging on her every word. Especially someone as wonderful as Jessie was. It still blew her mind the things that Jessie did and not only didn't take credit for, wouldn't even acknowledge being a part of. The more she learned about Jessie, the more she liked her, quirks and all.

Jessie reminded her of Fiyero; strong, brave, selfless, foolish, naive, sweet, and charming. When Jessie stood up to Tony in the diner, it had nearly sent her into a flashback. Just like Fiyero, she had no fear of what would happen to her. Maybe that's what made her go back to that truck. Whatever the reason, she was glad she had. Jessie had easily been the best thing to happen to her on this Oz forsaken world.

()

Jessie took a shower and changed. She could easily put this into the column of one of her better days. Since waking up in the hospital she had her share of good and bad. For some reason, they all seemed to be better since Elphaba came into her life. Part of her wanted to ask Elphaba out, the other part knew better. Girls like Elphaba didn't go for girls like her period, no one did, but that didn't mean she couldn't admire from afar and keep her mouth shut. Jessie had a small smile as she spread the zucchini and yellow squash out over the pizza crust. Hearing the doorbell ring, she saw Elphaba grab it, and went back to focusing on the pizzas.

"Oh, I love movie night!" Mikey said, inhaling the smell of the pizza baking.

"You like any night that you don't have to cook." Jessie teased back, getting a laugh.

"Well, you do make a kicking pizza." Rick said, sitting at the kitchen counter.

"Thanks," She looked at Elphaba, "I used to work in a pizzeria, among other things." Jessie explained to Elphaba, getting a nod.

"Why she draws cooking duty for most of these." Mike said, joining Hank.

"So what are we watching tonight, or is it a surprise?"Elphaba asked, curiously.

"It's a surprise. But one's a classic and the other is brand new." Marcus said as he set up the entertainment system.

"Brand new, huh?" Jessie said, grinning, "The last time you said brand new, I knew it from sight."

"Well, not this one. It just got released last month."Mike said, getting a nod.

"Ohhh, sounds like fun. Action, romance, comedy?" Jessie asked, excitedly.

"Action. I think you'll like it." Hank said, winking at her.

"Oh, I love a good shoot em up. What about you, Elphaba?"Jessie said, not wanting Elphie to feel left out.

"I prefer more peaceful movies." She said, honestly. She had seen enough violence to last her a lifetime.

"Then we'll play the classic first. Nobody gets hurt." Marcus states as he puts the DVD in.

"Well, except for the bad guy. But I don't think getting splashed with water is all that bad." Mike quipped.

Elphaba almost froze in her spot when she heard that. There was only one movie where the 'bad guy' was defeated with water. She had been exposed to the movie once, just once. It angered, hurt, and depressed her all at once. It was so far from what actually happened, it made her, Glinda and Fiyero all look ridiculous. It was obviously Dorothy's account, but at least they did make it look like a dream, for better or worse. It still didn't make it easier to watch.

"Elphie?" Jessie said, snapping her fingers.

Elphaba looked up, confused, "Huh?"

"Did you want zucchini and yellow squash on your pizza?"Jessie repeated, taking note of how distracted Elphaba looked.

"Yes please, excuse me a moment." Elphaba said, walking to her bedroom. If she had to face it, she would prefer to be in the proper mindset.

"What's her trip?" Rick asked, a little irritated.

"I'm not sure." Jessie said, honestly, "Maybe she just needs a few minutes."

"To each their own, I guess. How long before the pizza is ready?" Rick asked, getting a shrug.

"Go ahead and start the movies. All that's left is the baking." Jessie said, putting the finishing touches on Elphaba's, and putting them in the oven. Jessie was about to go check on Elphaba when she came out, sitting in the recliner. Jessie sat on the couch next to her. As the movie started, Elphaba inwardly groaned seeing her worst fears realized. That annoying farm girl and her yapping little mutt started the Oz awful movie. The beginning scenes did teach her something about Dorothy; however, she really was raised in a barn.

"The Wizard Of Oz. Classic." Mike said, sipping his beer.

"Yeah, I never missed it back in the day." Jessie admitted.

"Who's your favorite character, Jess?" Rick asked.

"The cowardly lion." Marcus said, laughing, as he sat down.

"No, really Jess, who?" Rick said, not believing it.

"The cowardly lion." Jessie said, with a grin.

"Not Dorothy? I thought all little girls wanted to be Dorothy." Mike said, getting a laugh.

"No, she had it far too good for me to admire. Having an aunt and uncle that love her enough to raise her and not appreciate it because they didn't pay her enough attention so she ran away. No, not my favorite character." Jessie said, dismissively. The kitchen timer went off as the tornado approached the farm.

"I've got it." Elphaba volunteered quickly before Jessie got up.

"Are you sure?" Jessie asked, getting a nod.

"Yeah, I've seen this movie." She said, heading for the kitchen. She didn't want Jessie or anyone else to see the tears in her eyes.

She had been with Fiyero in the forest when she felt the tornado in the distance. She could feel Nessa in danger. Elphaba was able to out fly the wizard's guards and anything they tried to do to bring her down, but she wasn't fast enough that one time it really mattered. By the time she had arrived, Glinda had already given her sister's ruby slippers to that dreadful little girl. As she pulled each pizza out, she wiped away residual tears. She could hear those damn munchkins festivating her sister's death.

"What a thing to celebrate, huh?" Jessie said, with a scoff.

"Well, she did torment them." Mike reminded her, getting another scoff.

"Really? Someone wanna tell me what the woman did? At least what was bad enough to have them celebrating her death? And those voices. Sounds like they got into the helium." Jessie said.

"Come on, Jess. Wouldn't you celebrate if Kano got killed in the next Mortal Kombat movie?" Mike asked.

"Not really. I wouldn't weep over it, but I wouldn't celebrate, either." Little did anyone know she'd already seen Kano's death for real.

"Liar." Marcus said, getting flipped off, as Elphaba brought in the pizzas. When Jessie took hers, she held Elphaba's hand a second longer.

"Thank you." Jessie said, looking at her sincerely. She got a shy smile and a slight blush.

"You're very welcome." Elphaba said, a genuine smile on her face. She sat back in the recliner, eating her pizza and watching Dorothy free Fiyero. She frowned up a bit. He played the role of brainless very well, but she was one of few that knew better. He stood up for her against the wizard's guards, knowing they would kill him. She was just glad the spell worked. Watching him dance around with Dorothy reminded her of their meeting after he had turned. The way they danced in the field, and he made her laugh. She hadn't laughed since Nessa died. His smile lit her night. He was such a nice man, and she couldn't have felt any guiltier. At least the Grimmerie saved him, more than she could do for Nessa or Dr. Dillimond.

"OK, seriously, her aim wasn't off. If she really wanted to cook his ass, he would've been fried. She wanted the slippers, nothing else." Jessie said, bringing her back from her thoughts in time to see her on screen persona throw a fireball at Fiyero. She rolled her eyes. That never happened, she would have sooner thrown that fireball at Glinda. She never considered it, even as mad as they had been at each other.

"I don't know. I mean, straw and fire don't mix." Mike said.

"Come on, dude. Think about it. If she evaded the wizard and people were that scared of her, she didn't get that way from making mistakes." Jessie pointed out.

"What do you think, Elphaba?" Marcus asked, dragging her into the conversation.

Elphaba froze as she tried to think up an answer that wouldn't give herself away. "Well, I don't think she was aiming at the scarecrow. I mean, if you look at where that fireball went it seemed to be aimed closer to the dog. Doesn't she always complain about the dog throughout the movie?" Hopefully they would buy that and wouldn't try to pull Elphaba into the conversation again.

"See! Thank you Elphaba." Jessie said, giving her five.

"Great the girls are going to team up on us." Mike said, winking at Rich.

"Yeah, tell me about it." Rich said, rolling his eyes and chuckling.

"Oh, look! It's the tin man." Marcus said, changing the subject.

"I still wonder how a metal man gets stuck in the rain. You would think he'd know better." Jessie said, matter of factly, getting a chuckle out of Elphaba. Jessie was right, however. It had never been explained, and did seem kind of out of place. Boq had a temper and was a bit silly hearted, but even he would not have done that. Luckily, everyone stayed quiet until the lion.

"There's your favorite. I don't understand that one." Rick said, getting a shrug.

"I love the lion." Jessie said, grinning.

"But why? He's like the smallest character." Mike said.

"He thought he was a coward until his back, or Dorothy's at least, was against the wall. That's when he rose to the occasion and protected her no matter what. That's awesome, at least to me." Jessie said, matter of factly.

Elphaba listened, smiling a little. From what she knew of Jessie, it would make sense that would be her favorite character. She knew a few of Jessie's issues, and it explained so much. Like why she was as brave as she was foolhardy. One day, she'd have to tell Jessie the real truth of the lion she liked so much. But that thought was quickly dismissed when they entered the wizard's palace.

She hated that palace, that trip. Poor Chistrey if she hadn't been so trusting. Not that Morrible and the Wizard hadn't planned it nearly perfectly. They had her believing everything hook line and sinker. Nothing good ever came from that hellhole.

Jessie looked over at Elphaba and recognized it. That was the look Jessie had on her face now when she saw Shang Tsung. There was definitely something more here. Elphaba, at least to Jessie, looked like she was either going to cry or hurt someone. She glanced around at the guys relieved to see that no one else noticed. Jessie was still contemplating this when the journey to the witch's castle began.

For seeing her own death, Elphaba seemed to take it in stride. That may have been because her and Fiyero had planned it nearly perfectly. Simple Ozians, no one questioned why a woman rumored to be allergic to water would have a bucket of well water handy. Seemed perfectly normal, right? She was thrilled they were so ignorant as to believe absolutely everything they heard. Of course, Fiyero planting the idea in the little farm girl's head didn't exactly hurt either. The only thing that hurt was thinking about the conversation that her and Glinda had minutes before Dorothy appeared. That curtain hid her dear friend from sight, and protected her. If anyone knew that they not only maintained contact but also considered each other best friends, Glinda would have been as cursed as she was. She honestly wondered if Fiyero was still looking for Glinda. She found the spell to open the portal before he had promised he would come for her.

"Poor guys. They always had exactly what they needed. They just didn't think so." Jessie said, a sad smile on her face. It had taken her a long time and a lot of help from Sonya not to fall into the same trap, and she did from time to time even with the help.

"Yeah, they lack the only thing you do, confidence." Mikey said, beginning to collect the plates.

"I don't lack confidence. I know I can kick your ass."Jessie said, getting up to collect the cups. Taking the opportunity, Elphaba went to the bathroom to finish crying and getting rid of the evidence. She really didn't want anyone to ask questions about it.

"So how did you get so lucky?" Mikey asked, putting the plates in the sink.

"So lucky?" Jessie asked, confused.

"Yeah. Your roommate is smoking hot." Mikey said, getting a look from Jessie.

"Speak about her with the same respect as your mother, OK?" Jessie said, getting a laugh, as Marcus walked in.

"So what's so funny?" Marcus asked, as Jessie got out a chocolate marble cheesecake.

"I called her roommate hot, and she told me to be respectful." Mike stated with a shrug.

"What's wrong with that, Jess. You think she's hot, don't you?" Marcus was hoping to confirm his suspicions.

"I think she's beyond hot, but I think she's way the hell out of my league." Jessie said, honestly.

"Well, she's not out of mine. Think you could put in the good word for me?" Mikey said, getting a glare.

"Not cool." Jessie said, rolling her eyes, as Marcus elbowed Mikey in the ribs.

"OUCH! Jeez! The nun decides she's not gonna make a move, and you elbow me?" Mikey said, getting another elbow.

"Mikey, don't start on her about this, please." Marcus said.

"Okay...geez! I'll back off until she decides when she makes her move." A grin spreads across his face, "Besides, I wouldn't want to 'accidentally' lure her in with my awesome chick magnet hair."

Marcus snorts, "Chick magnet hair? It must be faulty, cuz it seems to repel them all away."

Elphaba had been outside of the kitchen door, and actually found herself in shock. Not only did Jessie think she was hot, but so did Mikey? Not that Mikey was her type. Not that she had a type. Hearing them coming out, she turned on her heels, quickly walking back to the bathroom. Did Jessie really think she was beautiful and out of her league?


	8. Chapter 8

AN: Thank you so much to comingandgoingbybubble who rocks. PLEASE check out hers, they are all awesome. Thanks for all the reads, and reviews are loved. Sorry for the delay, RL caught up with us. Enjoy!

MIM and CK

Jessie shook her head, grinning. Maybe Mikey did have a point. Maybe she should ask Elphaba out. The worst thing that could happen would be her saying no. Jessie still couldn't help but feel like she was taking advantage of Elphaba, though. She was still debating it, as she sliced up the Oreo cheesecake. Scooping everyone a slice, she carried them out to the living room. She dished them out; making sure Elphaba got the biggest piece of the group.

"I know how much you like chocolate." Jessie said, getting a wide smile.

"Thanks Jess." Elphaba said with a slight blush.

"For you, no problem!" Jessie said, in an over exaggerated Italian accent. It got the chuckle she was looking for from Elphaba.

"It looks really good." Elphaba said, before taking a bite.

"Thanks! It's a special recipe." Jessie said a hint of pride in her voice.

"Your own?" Elphaba asked, curiously.

"Yeah. Cooking relaxes me." Jessie said, as Rick put the other DVD on.

"I'm surprised you're not a chef." Mike says.

"No, I enjoy cooking. That would ruin it for me." Jessie said, as the movie started. She was paying more attention to Elphaba than the movie, truth be told, but the accent got her attention in a heartbeat.

_"Speed it up, ladies! We've got a deadline to meet."_

All of the color drained from Jessie's face, hearing that accent. Her head snapped back towards the TV, there wasn't a moment where she wouldn't recognize that bastard's voice.

"What the fuck is this?" Jessie growled.

"Surprise! It's the new Mortal Kombat series! Legacy." Marcus said.

Jessie face filled with anger, "Turn it off." She said her voice cracking.

"Come on, Jessie. You've got to get over this." Mike whined.

_"Jax, I'm at the black dragon's warehouse at twentieth and Walsh…."_ Jessie fell silent, Jeri Ryan as Sonya? At least they picked an actress that looked like Sonya.

"Seven of Freaking Nine." Mike said, getting a shhhhhh from Jessie, as she watched intensely.

_"Kano's here."_

Those words were enough to send Jessie to the edge of her seat, her fists clinched. Mike and Rick looked at each other with huge smirks. This is the first time anyone had been able to mention Mortal Kombat without Jessie freaking out. They both felt like they were helping her break through. Even Marcus grinned at the scene. Elphaba was the only one without a smile on her face, she knew that look all too well. It was the same look of abject fear and rage she had on her face when she saw the Wizard of Oz for the first time. Elphaba looked at Jessie, studying her carefully. She had the same intensity on her face when she squared off with Tony.

"No. No, they can't leave her there. Come on." Jessie said, shaking her head. There was a marked change in her breathing. Elphaba sensed she was going into a panic attack. Jessie noticed as well and adjusted her breathing to slow, deep breathes.

"_Fuck protocol! I'll go myself."_

"Hoorah!" Jessie said, emphatically. Her enthusiasm vanished when they showed a hallway. Hearing heavy breathing and seeing Sonya hanging by her wrists had Jessie trembling.

"No, no, no, no, no." Jessie said, her fists flexing and tears in her voice and eyes. She watched it intensely, shaking her head and almost crying. Elphaba looked over at Marcus, Rick, and Mike, who were watching Jessie carefully.

"Jessie, who is that?" Elphaba asked.

"Sonya. And Kano…." She answered her voice nearly monotone as she watched it.

"Jessie? Tell me about Sonya." Elphaba hoped to keep Jessie calm by getting her to talk about it.

"She's my…my best friend." Jessie said, her eyes never leaving the screen.

_"Right on time. I'm gonna miss you baby."_

Jessie smirked, seeing Sonya spit in his face. Her voice rose as she began yelling at the screen. "No! This is why we move in strike teams. Three in a squad at the most. They can see you coming like this dumbass!" Jessie watched in anger as the strike team moved into the warehouse.

"Jessie, give it up. It was a dream." Marcus said quietly.

"It wasn't a fucking dream. We don't move like that. Three wide spread, eyes first, and radio silence until you're sure." Jessie said matter of factly, as it faded to Sonya pulling herself up, "Pull, Sonya, pull! You can do it! Pull! YES!" Jessie said, relieved when she fell to the ground.

"So much for progress." Mike said, disappointed.

"Who's Jax?" Elphaba asked, seeing Jessie's focus hadn't broken.

"Sonya's partner, he's a really good guy." Jessie said, proudly.

"Yeah, she was on Sonya's team." Rick said, rolling his eyes.

"Fuck you, asshole." Jessie said, shaking her head.

"Enough Rick. This is not the time." Marcus said quietly.

"Marcus, as long as you let her live in this delusion, you're not doing her any favors." Rick said, worriedly.

"Jessie's not enjoying this. Why don't we just stop?"Elphaba suggested, surprised when Jessie shook her head.

"No, I'm curious. I think this is before I met them. Jax has arm implants and Kano has a red eye." Jessie said, watching Jax and Kano fight.

_"…Torturing your sweet Sonya."_

Those words had Jessie out of her seat. "Come on, Jax! Get him! Kill him! Oh, hell yeah." Jessie said, laughing as Kano got beat up by Jax.

Normally, Elphaba wasn't into violence as a solution. However, after his comment she had a change of heart. She looked over at Rick, Mike, and Marcus all of them were watching Jessie carefully as Sonya woke up. They seemed to breathe a collective sigh of relief when she didn't have a major reaction.

"Now that guy," Jessie said, pointing to Johnny Cage, "He is married to Sonya in real life, and they have a son."

"Jess….." Before Marcus could continue, Elphaba shushed him.

"How old is their son?" Elphaba asked, curiously.

"He was ten when….when I saw him last." Jessie said, catching herself before saying too much, "He's a really cheesy actor, but a much better director and producer."

"He doesn't seem to be that bad of an actor." Elphaba said, seeing the color drain from Jessie's face.

Jessie looked absolutely terrified, as the person that stopped time and introduced himself as Shang Tsung. "No. Johnny never worked with him." Jessie said, emphatically absolutely beside herself in disbelief.

Elphaba couldn't help but wonder if that was the magic user that tried to hurt Jessie. By the look of terror in Jessie's eyes it was a fair guess.

"Jessie, you've got that ESPN interview in the morning. Why don't we watch this another time?" Elphaba suggested, seeing Jessie actually tremble.

"It's OK." Jessie said, waving her off. Truth be told, she really wanted to see what was going to happen. This might be part of their history before Raiden pulled her into that world.

"Are you sure?" Elphaba asked, getting a nod, as Jessie's color returned.

The rest of the movie continued on without anymore major reactions. Jessie explained who the characters were, at least the ones she knew, to Elphaba. When the movie finished, Marcus pulled Elphie off to the side.

"Look, I know you don't know Jessie that well yet, but three years ago we found her lying outside of Melllon Arena bleeding. She was in a coma for almost a month from the injuries. The doctor said her obsession with Mortal Kombat, Sonya specifically, is what spurred the delusion that she trained with Sonya." Marcus looks over Elphaba's shoulder at Jessie.

"I understand that Marcus, but to Jessie it's real. It is as real as you or I are. She obviously considers herself close to Sonya, and is mourning her for some reason. In Jessie's heart of hearts, that was real. Nothing you can say or do is going to change that. My suggestion to you is to let her deal with it in her own way." Elphaba said, getting a nod.

"You sound like you speak from experience." Marcus noted.

Elphaba sighed deeply, "I do, I lost my family. Until Jessie and you guys came along, I've been alone. I couldn't move on until I made peace with it. Jessie talking about this is helping her close the door. To push her the other way is counterproductive." Elphaba said.

"You're good for her." Marcus said, causing Elphaba to blush. He kissed her cheek, before hugging Jessie, and heading to his apartment below them. Jessie did the dishes, as Elphaba went to the room. After seeing Jess a little vulnerable she could see herself falling for Jess, and that scared her a little.

After the kitchen was cleaned up Jessie settled herself on the couch. She didn't want to bother Elphaba; she assumed Elphie was tired since she went to bed after the boys left. Jessie flipped though the channels, trying to forget about that movie. At least Jax stepped up, she could imagine Sonya freaking over that. If there's one thing that Sonya absolutely stressed it was teamwork. She didn't believe in leaving anyone behind, ever. It didn't take long for Jessie to nod off, the TV providing background noise.

"There is no escape, Jessica. I will always find you."

Jessie heard Shang's voice. She found herself back on the island. Sonya was standing next to him, in chains, "_Stop me, Jessica. Save your precious hero." _He teased.

"Sonya!" Jessie cried out, trying to advance. She couldn't move, much to Shang's amusement.

"Useless. But perhaps you are good for something. You can watch her become mine."

With a raise of his hand, Jessie was forced to watch him take Sonya's soul.

"SONYA!" Jessie bolted awake, the scream loud enough to wake the dead. Seconds later Elphaba all but flew to the living room, finding Jessie screaming and drenched in sweat.

Worried, she squats down in front of Jessie. "Jess? Jess, talk to me." Elphaba said, seeing the distant look in Jessie's eyes. She waved her hand in front of Jessie's face and didn't see a reaction. In fact, Elphaba wasn't sure Jessie was in the same room, "Jessie, it's OK. You're here, you're safe."

"I'm never safe. He can kill me at will." Jessie said, shaking her head.

"Who can, Jessie?" Elphaba asked, wondering who could scare the so far fearless woman.

"Shang Tsung." Jessie said in a paranoid whisper, as though someone else could hear her.

Jessie had just confirmed Elphaba's suspicions from earlier. That man had indeed hurt Jessie somehow. "The man from the movie?" Elphaba asked her voice soft.

"Yes and no. That's not him; he is far more dangerous and evil than that." Jessie said, her hands trembling as she tried to calm down.

Elphaba went to the kitchen, coming back a few minutes later with two mugs of hot milk. "You were saying they are real?" Elphaba said, settling in across from Jessie and sipping the mug. Jessie followed suit, nodding.

"They're as real as you are." Jessie stated.

"Tell me what happened. Just get it off your chest." Elphaba encouraged, her eyes soft and caring.

Jessie looked at her, debating doing just that. She hated that Elphie might think she was as crazy as her doctors did. "It's a long story." Jessie said, obviously upset.

"We've got all night." Elphaba said, getting a nod.

"OK… I was really into Mortal Kombat when I was growing up. Like really into it; I had collections, and everything else. Sonya was my absolute favorite; she was exactly what I wanted to be; strong, smart, brave, loyal, and tough as nails." Jessie has a slight smile on her face at the memory.

"You're all of those things now, Jessie." Elphaba said sincerely.

"Not like her. She would've never left me, no matter who told her to." Jessie takes a breath to steady herself, "I was getting ready for my first Pay Per View fight. Well, like now, I worked a second job. I got called in to help out at the store. When I got there, some girl was being attacked in the alley behind the Burger World I worked at. I went over to help her, and got stabbed in the stomach."

"You got stabbed?" Elphaba asked, a bit floored at how Jessie said that so nonchalantly.

"Yeah, turned out that the guy that did it worked for Kano. That bastard you saw at the beginning of the movie." Jessie was still really pissed that she fell right into that trap.

"Why was he after you? If he is from that world, you shouldn't even exist." Elphaba observed, getting a nod.

"I agree. However, I was just getting popular and was on Black Belts thirty to watch list. He discovered me on a test of a portal machine. Anyway, Raiden healed me and offered me a chance to help Sonya. Of course, I jumped all over it." So far so good, Jessie thought to herself when Elphaba seemed genuinely interested.

"That must've been exciting for you." Elphaba said, thinking back to her meeting with the Wizard, before he revealed himself as a fraud. She felt like the luckiest woman in Oz. Meeting her hero with her best friend at her side. How wrong she had been.

"It was, until I met her," Jessie said, laughing a little, "I was so excited I couldn't form words, and she was not at all happy to have me along. I ended up getting into a fight on the base because a couple of Mp's ran off at the mouth disrespectfully about her. When her commanding officer saw me fight, he recruited me for the mission they were on. They were investigating an illegal fighting ring."

"That sounds dangerous." Elphaba commented, intrigued.

"It was. Two of her team died before I got there. We managed to save the third one. It turned out Sonya's ex-sister in law was investigating the ring too. Sonya was up in her apartment when they blew it up." That had been a tense few minutes.

"They blew it up?" Elphaba asked, she was honestly quite shocked that people resorted to such violent behavior. Oz almost seemed like a safe haven after what Jessie had been through.

"Yeah. I was outside when it went off. I managed to get Sonya out, but I ended up with the third degree burns on my back I was telling you about. Raiden healed those, and sent us here for Sonya to heal." A part of her still couldn't believe that Sonya was here in this world with her.

"Wow. Didn't you introduce her to Marcus or anyone while she was here?" Elphaba couldn't help but be curious.

"I did, but not as Sonya. He thinks she's a detective in charge of looking out for me after I was stabbed. Apparently the media got a hold of the news. Scared a few of my fans." She still has a few of those emails saved in her inbox. It is comforting to know that some of her fans genuinely care about her.

"I can imagine." Elphaba said, after working for Jessie these past few months it seems like a miracle that the media don't report whenever she decides to skip a meal.

"When we went back, Raiden took us to the moment we left. The first night of the fights, we got caught. Turned out Kano was working with him, and wanted me in the tournament as an iniation into the black dragon. The part that I've never told anyone is, the man that ran the tournament over there was Marcus."

"Wait, your friend Marcus?"

"That's the one. Apparently everyone has a double over there. If either of us lost a match, the other and Sonya's sister in law would die. By the end of it, it was Sonya and I in the final match. They had drugged her up, intending to brainwash Sonya if I didn't make the match look good enough for them to let her go and take me instead. Luckily, Jax and the team found us. Kano and Marcus took Sonya hostage to try to escape. I couldn't let that happen. If I did, she was dead or worse. So I stole one of the teams motorcycles, and caught up with them. I rode the bike at ninety into the limo they were escaping in head on. We both were lucky we made it out alive. But I proved myself to Sonya enough that she took me into OIA instead of sending me home. She changed my life." Jessie said, smiling at the memory. Elphaba couldn't help but smile at that.

"So that's when you met her husband and son?" Elphaba asked, getting a wide grin.

"Yeap. Seeing her and Johnny together gave me hope that love really does conquer all. Their son looks just like his dad, except he's blonde and acts just like his mom." Jessie said, grinning.

"Sounds like quite a kid." Elphaba observed, getting a nod.

"He is. He doesn't take anything from anyone. Anyway, while I was in basic, OIA sent Sonya's team on a mission. It got botched, and Sonya went missing. They actually expected me to do nothing." Jessie scoffed, "No fucking chance. It took two months, and getting nearly killed by Kano, but I found out where she was and what happened. Unfortunately, I was too injured to actually go on the rescue, but Jax and my partner had it under control." Jessie is still upset that she couldn't go on the original rescue mission.

"Jax that was the man that fought Kano, right?" Elphaba asked, trying not to get confused.

"Right. He's a little bigger in real life, though, and he's got the metal implants on his arms. It quadruples the strength he would normally have." Jessie explained.

"I would think that would make him nearly unbeatable." Elphie tried to imagine such a person and was a bit scared at the image.

"If he was that type of person maybe. He's a big sweet lovable lug. Just don't piss him off, or hurt someone he loves." Jessie said, getting a smile from Elphaba.

"I understand the mentality."

Jessie was a bit curious when she heard that, but decided not to push it. "When we got her home, I thought it was over. A week later, Raiden showed up and told her she had to go back." Jessie ground her teeth a little at the memory.

"Had to go back? Why?" Elphaba practically growled.

"Because Kano sold her to Shang Tsung for two million dollars. If she didn't go back, he would attack her family. She was his until someone worked off her debt. Shang Tsung chose me to do that." Jessie sipped the milk, trying to steady her voice.

"When I arrived, he gave me a chance to free her. If I could beat him, he'd let her go. If I failed, one of us took his mark for the rest of our lives," Jessie said, rolling up her sleeve to reveal the dragon emblem burned into her upper arm, "I lost." She said, shaking her head.

On instinct, Elphaba reached out to gently touch the scar. "He branded you?" Elphaba growled, through clinched teeth. She got a solemn nod in response.

"It was her or me. Much better it be me." Jessie said, sadly.

"And he uses magic?" As soon as Elphaba touched the mark, she could sense his dark powers. However, she was curious how much Jessie might know about him.

"He's over five hundred years old. A shape shifter, a sorcerer, and he steals souls. I honestly have never been through anything like that in my life. He tried everything to set me back. We were making progress, until Johnny died. Kano gunned him down at a charity gala he was robbing. After that, something in Sonya changed. She decided to marry Shang to take care of her son and goddaughter. Raiden said it was the only way she could end the contract. He told me to stay behind on Earth as backup. All I had to do was distract him long enough for Sonya to get the drop on him. I hope I held out long enough. The last thing I remember was him shattering my kneecap." Jessie pulled up her sweats, revealing the surgery scar, "They said whoever attacked me shattered it with a cinderblock." Jessie said, shaking her head.

"No wonder you reacted so strongly when you saw me use magic." Elphaba said, a lot of things suddenly making sense. Jessie shook her head.

"At first. You're not him, though. I can see it in your eyes. You're not evil." Jessie said, getting a deep blush from Elphaba, followed by a sigh.

"There is an entire world that would disagree with you." Taking a deep breath Elphaba takes Jessie's hand between her own, "Jessie, I need to tell you something."


	9. Chapter 9

Jessie looked at Elphaba curiously. "I'm all ears."

Elphaba took a deep breath before beginning, "I'm not from this land. In that world, I am known by a different name entirely, it was a label that was placed on me when I was younger."

Jessie wondered where Elphaba was going with this and nodded her head, "Ok, what world was it?" That explains why she was so accepting of Jessie's story about her and Sonya. That title must have been pretty bad for Elphie to not mention it.

"Oz." Elphaba braces herself for Jessie's reaction.

Jessie's jaw drops when she hears that, "Oz? As in follow the yellow brick road. I'll get you my pretty Oz?" Elphaba nods her head but says nothing else for now. Jessie's eyes go wide as she realizes that the 'Wicked Witch of the West' was her personal assistant. To Jessie's own surprise, as much as the witch scared her when she was a kid, she couldn't find it in herself to be frightened. If anything she was surprised and had a million questions for Elphie. "So what really happened?"

Elphaba was stunned that Jessie was still sitting next to her, much less asking questions. "You mean from the beginning?" Jessie nodded her head and smiled as she waited for Elphaba to begin.

"Well, I guess the best place to start would be when Nessarose, my sister, and I went to Shiz University. Back then I was just known as Elphaba. Our father was the Mayor of Munchkinland. My sister Nessa was in a wheelchair and I, well, I have an unusual skin color. My father didn't really spend very much time with either of us; he was very disappointed in how we turned out. However, he did always pay whatever it took to make sure Nessa was taken care of. When we were growing up I took care of her most of the time, I was cooking for her and making sure she had everything she needed during the day. We were close back then."

Jessie listened, nodding. If there were two things she understood better than she would like, it was lousy families and being picked on.

"When we arrived at Shiz there had been some sort of rooming mistake. Nessa was given a private chamber next to _Madame Morrible_." She just couldn't keep the sneer out of her voice when she mentioned that awful woman. "and I was forced into a room with Galinda Upperton."

Elphaba smiles as she remembers her original feelings for her bubbly, blonde roommate. She will always be grateful to Glinda for being her friend. Jessie cleared her throat and Elphaba realized that she had stopped. Chuckling softly she shakes her head before continuing. "At first Galinda and I really didn't see eye to eye. In fact, most people would say we were the greatest of enemies. However, that all changed after the fall ball in the Ozdust during that first year. She stood up for me in front of everyone. The most popular girl in the whole University stood up for me. After that night, we became friends. She joined me in the sorcery seminar with Morrible and things started to look brighter."

Jessie smiled when she heard that someone stood up for Elphie at school. It was nice to know that Elphie wasn't completely alone while she was at school. Although, that last sentence had her worried that something disastrous happened to Elphie.

Elphaba sighs before continuing, "Things began changing just a year later. Animals were fired from their jobs, sent out of the cities, and told never to talk again. Dr. Dillamond, my goat professor and mentor, confided in me of the fears he had about being either fired or arrested. He suspected that some of the school officials were involved in the plot to forever silence all animals." Elphaba's face grows both sad and angry as she remembers the fateful day the sweet old goat was taken away. Seeing that look, Jessie scoots closer. "His worries proved to be true. Just a few months later, Ozian guards and Madame Morrible came into our class and dragged Dr. Dillamond away. Once he was out of the room a horrible man brought a poor caged lion cub into the room. He was there to lecture us on how they were preventing animals from ever learning to speak. He put an electric stick into the cage and was torturing the poor cub. I couldn't just sit by and let him torture the poor creature. Myself and a good classmate, Fiyero, got the poor creature out of the room and released him in the woods."

Jessie's fists clench involuntarily as she listened. She couldn't believe that they could be that barbaric. "I've never heard of Dr. Dillimond. The movie seems to have left about half the story out." The poor lion cub. She assumed that the lion cub grows up to be the 'Cowardly Lion' from the movie. Poor thing, she is glad to hear that someone else in that room had enough sense to help Elphie rescue the creature from that torture. "What happened next?"

Elphaba took a breath to calm herself down before continuing. That was just one of the more upsetting moments of her story. "After that, Madame Morrible found me and told me that the Wizard had requested me to see him in the Emerald City in person. I was excited, because I believed that he would be able to fix this problem. It was a golden opportunity for me to ask him for his help." A part of Elphaba was still mad that she was so naïve to think he would help.

"I insisted that Glinda go with me, because she was my closest friend and wished to go meet the Wizard as much as I did. Once we arrived he greeted us and began talking to us about the future of Oz. Madame Morrible, who was now Press Secretary, appeared and showed us the Grimmerie. It is a powerful book that amplifies our magical powers; however, no one can read it and use it. Well, no one except for me…"

Jessie listened attentively, saving her questions for when Elphie was done. She knew this had to be hard enough to get through once. That magical book sounded both interesting and dangerous at the same time.

There is anger in Elphie's voice and body language. "They tricked me into reading a spell from the book. They wanted me to give Chistrey, the Wizard's favorite monkey, his dream of flying by giving him wings. No one realized how powerful the spell was. Not only did I give Chistrey wings, but also all of the other monkeys the Wizard had locked in a cage hidden behind a curtain in the room. Once they had all been transformed I heard the Wizard and Morrible talking about their plans to use the monkeys as spies. I asked them what they needed spies for. The Wizard looked at me and told me that they needed to find all of the talking animals and capture them."

Jessie shook her head in disgust. It would make sense that this Morrible, whoever she was, and the wizard of Oz would be trying to use her. She was glad Sonya didn't do that.

Elphaba's eyes were filled with tears, but she kept them at bay as she continued her story. "I felt absolutely betrayed by the man I looked up to. I released the monkeys from the cage, grabbed the book, and ran up into the highest tower of the castle. Glinda followed after me. She tried to talk me into apologizing to the Wizard and standing by his side for this, but I told her that I couldn't do that what he was doing was wrong. I said the same spell I used on the monkeys in an attempt to get myself to fly, but the spell enchanted an old broom that was in the room. I begged Glinda to come with me on the broom, to run away and fight the injustice. She wanted to, but was too scared to come with me. We parted ways, wishing the best for each other." Elphaba sighed softly, "I went into hiding after that. Whenever I could I would rescue animals from the Ozian guards. Due to my resistance I was labeled as 'wicked' and became hunted."

Jessie half growled hearing that. The idea of anyone hunting Elphaba made her sick, angry, and terrified for her all at once. She was pissed that they used her like that and then made her the scapegoat. She reached out for Elphie's hand and squeezed it gently. "I can't believe they used you like that Elphie." Jessie wished she had a shot at those two so she could knock some sense into them. Or at the very lest get them to apologize to Elphie for what they did to her.

Elphaba smiled softly as she saw Jessie wanting to comfort her as she told her story. She returned that gentle squeeze before shaking her head, "Thank you Jess, but there is more I need to tell you. I was on the run for a few years before I reached out to talk to my sister. Since I had left her, many things had changed. She had become the Mayor of Munchkinland after my father's death and was known as the 'Wicked Witch of the East'. She confronted me about having magic, but not using it to fix her. I realized she had a point and looked through the Grimmerie for a spell. I found one…and it worked. The spell caused my sister's shoes to turn ruby red and healed her legs so that she could walk." There was a soft smile on Elphaba's face at the memory.

Realization dawned on Jessie's face, "Oh…that's why you wanted those slippers! That makes way more sense now."

Elphaba smiled as she nodded her head slowly, "Yes, they were very important to me. After that visit, I decided to return to the Emerald City to confront the Wizard. I almost get captured when I was there, but Fiyero, Glinda's fiancé, helps me get out and runs off with me. Once we are out in the woods, the weather begins to shift. I sense that my sister is in trouble and fly off to check on her. I see a house falling from the sky towards Munchkinland and fly as fast as I can…" The tears in Elphaba's eyes begin to fall, "but I was too late."

Jessie's heart actually feels like it might break for poor Elphie. She moves next to her on the couch and pulls her into a hug. "Oh Elphie…I am so sorry."

Elphaba leans into Jessie for a few minutes, releasing some of the grief. In Oz, she hadn't been able to. Between being on the run from the Wizard, and her keeping an eye on Fiyero and Glinda, there was never time. No matter how Nessa felt about her, Elphaba loved her sister. When she regained her composure, she pulled away slightly before laying in Jessie's arms to continue, "Once I got to the…scene. I found Glinda there; we had a minor disagreement about her fiancé running off with me and her sending my sister's shoes off with that dimwitted farm girl and that annoying dog. Morrible must have suspected that Glinda would eventually find me. The Ozian guard appeared and tried to arrest me. Fiyero appeared and sacrificed himself for me. Once I got away I put a spell on him to protect him from feeling any pain…he was transformed into a scarecrow."

Jessie's jaw dropped a little, "You mean the scarecrow that was with Dorothy wasn't always a scarecrow? It was the kid that helped you free the lion cub?"

Elphaba smiled softly as she shook her head, "Yes, unfortunately...he was a Prince and a good friend. I never told Glinda that's what happened to him. I'm afraid it would break her heart if she knew that. I found him before that nitwit Dorothy did. We decided to stage my death and leave Oz. We would check in every couple of days to make sure things were going as planned."

Jessie stared at her a bit in shock. "Wait…you mean that whole melting thing was staged?"

Elphaba smiled softly as she nodded her head, "Yes it was. Fiyero and I planned on disappearing after that to another world. However, at the last moment he decided to stay in Oz to watch over Glinda. He just couldn't abandon her in Oz like that. I came alone to this world. The rest I have told you already."

Jessie was impressed with Elphie's whole plan to fake her death. Suddenly a thought hit her,"Wait…you mean water doesn't make you melt?"

Elphaba laughed at Jessie's question, "Jessie…water is a main ingredient in jello. I would have never made it out of those red lava matches if water caused me to melt."

Jessie had a sheepish grin at the memory, "Yeah, I guess you are right."

Elphaba smiled softly before looking at Jessie, "So, now that you know my real story…do you still want me to work for you?" She was a little worried that Jessie might change her mind about their current arrangement.

Jessie took Elphie's hands into her own and looked deep into her eyes, "I don't think I could function without you anymore. Besides, I couldn't think of anyone more qualified for the position."

Elphaba blushed slightly from the complement, "Do you really mean that Jess?"

Jessie smiled as she nodded her head, "Yes I do."

Elphaba pulled her into a tight hug and whispered, "Thank You."

"You're welcome, beautiful." Jessie whispered before she thought about it, rubbing Elphie's back soothingly. Elphaba didn't acknowlege it, but she heard Jessie call her beautiful. She couldn't believe that anyone, let alone Jessie, would find her beautiful. But it took one look in Jessie's eyes, and listening to her voice, and Elphaba knew it was the truth.


	10. Chapter 10

If Jessie was anything, it was a creature of habit. She woke up every morning around five, and headed out for a three to five mile run. When she got back, she made breakfast for herself and now Elphaba. After meeting all of her obligations, meetings, photo shoots, and whatever else she vanished. It was usually down to the children's hospital for volunteer work or a shelter that needed an extra set of hands for a few hours. Then she came home to do more work. The only time that routine changed, as Elphaba was soon to find out, was when she was in training. Elphaba happened to be in the office when her and Marcus came in.  
"Jess, it's a good idea, but why do you want to do it for free?" Marcus asked, curiously.  
"Every penny they spend on me is a penny less they have for the charity. You want to tell a kid he can't have his dream because they paid me to show up? Because I don't." Jessie said, getting a sigh.  
"You are too nice, Jess." Marcus said, shaking his head. He honestly believed she wouldn't ask for a dime for herself if she had to.  
"What's going on?" Elphaba asked, curiously.  
"I got an invite to do the Make a Dream Come True fundraiser. They offered me ten thousand for a fight, and I told them to keep it." Jessie said, plopping into one of the chairs.  
"Skip the fact that we've got bills to pay in the dojo." Marcus said, irritated.  
"That always get covered. We make enough with the fights not to need to charge for this kind of appearance." Jessie said, sitting down. Elphaba's eyes went wide.  
"Ten thousand dollars? Jessie, that's a lot of money." Elphaba said, getting a shrug.  
"Not really. I make a little over a quarter million a pay per view." Elphaba's jaw rested firmly on the floor after hearing that.  
"Don't get too excited. Genius here sends most of it to a homeless shelter in Pittsburgh" Marcus said, rolling his eyes.  
"They need it more than I do." Jessie said, with a shrug. Elphaba stared at her, jaw dropped.  
"You don't keep any of it?" Elphaba asked, when she found her voice.  
"I keep a little, just to cover expenses. I try to keep it under ten percent, though. I send the rest out there." Jessie said, non chalantly.  
"She's done it since she started fighting. I don't get it, either." Marcus chimed in. Elphaba shook her head.  
"Jessie, I know you're generous, but that's insane." Elphaba said, worried. Jessie was entirely too nice for her own good.  
"Not really. It's complicated." Jessie said, as Marcus scoffed.  
"In Jessie speak that means I'm not going into it." He said, before walking out. Jessie looked at Elphaba, with a heavy sigh. She tried not to keep secrets like that since their talk last month.  
"You really want to know why?" Jessie asked, closing the door behind Marcus.  
"I am curious." Elphaba stated, she was a little curious why Jessie closed the door behind Marcus. Jessie sat down, looking down at her feet.  
"My childhood wasn't the greatest. At eighteen, my parents told me it was time to go. This was after I saw my friend hit, so I just jumped a bus to Pittsburgh. I wanted to get as far away from Louisiana as I could. But when I got there, I only had the clothes on my back, one bag, and a hundred dollars. I couldn't find a job, and was sleeping on the street. When the money ran out, I was starving. I couldn't get into any shelters. Ms. Kathy, the woman that runs the shelter, was coming out of one of the churches when a guy grabbed her. I grabbed him to stop him and got assaulted. Turned out it was one of her ex husbands, but she took me into the shelter. Her and the ladies that live there took care of me until I found my own place to stay. They took care of me when no one cared if I lived or died. So, I take care of them now as much as I can." Jessie said, getting a nod from Elphaba.  
"I understand that, but you can do that without sending that much money. What about you? How do you make your living?" Elphaba truly understood Jessie's logic, but found it a bit irresponsible for her to just give the money away. If she invested it, she could start a fund so that the shelter could benefit no matter how Jessie's income is doing.  
"I work here at the dojo. Marcus pays me seven hundred a month. Really, all the expenses I have are food, clothes, and insurance. The dojo takes care of all the utilities. Every once in a while, I treat myself. Like my bike, but for the most part it just sits in the bank. That's how I was able to give that money to you that night."  
"How much money do you have in the bank?" Elphaba asked, curiously. Jessie sat down at the desk, and pulled up her personal account on the computer. Elphaba's jaw dropped, seeing two hundred thousand dollars.  
"Like I said, I send most of it to the shelter, and don't really have a lot of expenses. What I left you is nothing compared to what I have saved up.  
"But it's not doing anything, Jessie. What are you going to do when you can't fight anymore?"  
"I never thought about it, honestly." Jessie fully expected to be dead long before she had to retire. She faught too hard and had to many enemies in Pittsburgh not to.  
"Jessie, what are you going to do when you can't fight anymore? What about the shelter? What if you couldn't help with that anymore."" Elphaba asked.  
"Make due, I guess. It's not like I haven't lived off minimum wage before." Jessie said, getting a scoff.  
"Jessie, give me three months and one hundred thousand of that. I can set up a few accounts that will make enough that you can live off the interest, and fund the shelters wiether you're here or not. Be realistic, Jessie. You can't expect to fight your entire life. " Elphaba pointed out.  
"You really can do that?" Jessie asked, getting a nod.  
"I turned the thousand I made in tips to five thousand in three months. I know I can do it." Jessie shrugged.  
"Knock yourself out. Take half and see what you can do with it." Jessie said, getting a wide smile, as there was a knock at the door. Jessie grinned, seeing K walk in.  
"Got it." He said, handing her an envelope.  
"You rock. How much do I owe you, K?" Jessie said, excitedly.  
"Don't worry about it. I still owe you for taking care of Tamera's problem for me." K said, getting a shrug.  
"I told you don't worry about that, dude. He been back since?"  
"Hell no. I think old boy is scared shitless of you." K said laughing.  
"Big K, this is Elphaba. Elphaba, this is my friend, Kevin. Everybody calls him Big K." Jessie said, motioning to Elphaba.  
"Nice to meet you." K said, with a nod.  
"You too." Elphaba looked up at him, he really was very tall.  
"You need anything else, Jess, just give me a buzz." K said.  
"Actually I do. Elphaba, what's Tony's last name?" Jessie asked.  
"Shiarbrook, I think." Elphaba said, trying to remember.  
"See if you can find anything out about a Tony Shiarbrook in Las Vegas. He owns an adult nightclub out there. Elphaba was stuck working out there without these." Jessie held up the envelope.  
"I didn't know you held a grudge, Jess. She looks OK to me." K observed.  
"I don't, but he already came after her once, trying to force her back to work for him." Jessie said, the anger at that showing in her eyes.  
"Oh, really? I'll do you one better. I'll get you that file, and keep an eye out at the airport and bus station. If I hear he might be sending someone, I'll have a couple of friends take care of them." K said, he really didn't like the fact that some sleaze had sent some two bit thugs into his territory.  
"I love you, man. You know that, right?" Jessie said, hugging him. He hugged her back.  
"After you took care of that problem for me, I have no problem taking care of you, and your friend. Now that should be enough to get her a Cali ID. If it's not, I've got a friend at the CTC that can get her an ID and a driver's license." K said with a smile.  
"Nice." Jessie said, giving him five.  
"Well, I've got a few more things to take care of. It was nice to meet you Elphaba, and Jess Tamera said hi."

"Tell her I said Sup." Jessie said, giving him five, as he left. She handed Elphaba the envelope. "Your birth certificate and social security card." To Jessie's surprise, Elphaba hugged her tightly.  
"Jessie….." Elphaba could barely speak from being choked up. She hadn't been expecting to get her papers, especially not for free.  
"Nobody has anything on you anymore. You're free." Jessie said, rubbing her back soothingly. For the first time, Elphaba really did feel free.  
"Thank you, Jessie. For everything." Elphaba was so choked up a few tears were in her eyes. No one had ever been this nice to her before.  
"You're welcome." Jessie whispered in her ear. It took everything in Jessie not to kiss her head, "Come on, let's celebrate. Anything you want to do."  
"Anything?" Elphaba asked, the beginnings of a smirk appearing on her face.  
"Absolutly anything." Elphaba leaned farther into Jessie's embrace.  
"I think I would like to have dinner and watch a movie with you." Elphaba said, softly. Jessie's jaw dropped, hearing the request. Was that a date request from Elphie?  
"We can do that anytime, Elphie. This is your night." Jessie just wanted to make sure her hearing was good.  
"And I'd like to spend it with you." Elphie said, more insistently.  
"OK. What would you like for dinner?" Jessie was still a bit floored that Elphie wanted to spend time with her like this.  
"Surprise me." Elphie said, smiling brightly up at her. Jessie nodded, all but running out of the office. If she was making a meal for Elphaba, she was going all out.  
"Where are you going?" Marcus asked, seeing her run by.  
"I've gotta go grocery shopping." Jessie said, excitedly.  
"Not tonight. You've got a sparring match."  
"Come on, Marcus. Not tonight. I'm celebrating with Elphaba. Can't we do it tomorrow?" Jessie actually pouts, she was finally going to spend some one on one time with Elphie.  
"No. The fight's in six days." Marcus reminded her.  
"Sonuvabitch." Jessie said, nearly crying.  
"You know the rules. No slacking during training, illness the only exception. Now come on."  
"But Elphie's …." Jessie protested.  
"I'll tell her. Go change." Marcus said, getting a nod, before Jessie walked off, clearly upset. Marcus shook his head. He'd wanted the two to get together, but now was not the time. While Jessie may not take the three round exhibition fight seriously, all eyes would be on her. She had to make a good impression, both for her and for the IWMMA. A bad showing would be bad for business, and no one, least of all Jessie, wanted that. Whatever they were celebrating could hold for six days. Marcus walked to the office, seeing the smile on Elphaba's face through the door. With a heavy heart, he knocked on the door.  
"Elphaba, there might be a problem." Marcus said, coming in.  
"Problem with what?" Elphaba asked, confused.  
"Jessie was on her way out to buy some groceries for a celebration. She's not going to be able to do anything for six days."  
"Oh, it's not a problem." Elphaba said, trying to hide the disappointment in her voice, and failing miserably.  
Marcus felt really guilty when he saw that look on Elphaba's face. "I'm sorry, but when it's fight time - even for something like this - it's training, morning, noon, and night."  
"I understand. Buisness first." Elphaba said, with a nod, as Marcus walked back out.


	11. Chapter 11

Elphaba respected Jessie since she saw her disassemble that gun, but watching her train was absolutely astounding. The only person she'd ever seen with more dedication was herself studying the Grimmerie. Jessie ate, slept, and breathed the fight. In six days, despite living together, Elphaba hadn't seen her outside of her fight schedule. Elphaba tried her best to keep the household things up, and made sure that Jessie had a decent meal every day. She was just glad the fight was tomorrow. Jessie was usually easy going, but she never stopped studying her opponent and practicing. It would be nice to get her normal roommate back, not to mention spending some alone time with Jessie would be nice again.

"Hey, Elphie." Jessie said windedly as she sat down on the couch.

"Hey yourself. I just finished up your itenery for tomorrow." Elphaba handed her the two pages.

"Gonna be a busy day." Jessie noted as she looked over the itenery for fight day.

"Very busy. You've got the autograph session from nine until eleven. Then the press confrence for the charity. You did say you were open to anything they need, right?" Elphaba was willing to change a few things around if Jessie really needed it.

"Yeah, I'm game for anything." Jessie said, nodding.

"They need someone to do their PSA and fund raising. You're one of the biggest names on their list, I assumed it wouldn't be a problem." Elphaba continued looking through her copy.

"You assumed right. I don't mind helping them out with that." Honestly Jessie wished there was MORE she could do to help. However, this was all they were asking for right now.

"OK, because you're going to be shooting until about an hour before the fight. After the fight, they're doing the banquet. Do you want me to get any extra tickets? They are five hundred dollars each." Elphaba expected Jessie to try to wiggle her way out of the banquet. She really didn't like pulling attention away from charities.

"Yeah, five more. One for Mikey, Rick, their dates, and one for you." Jessie said, getting a frown from Elphaba.

"I'd rather not. I really don't care for public events like that." Some of the buzz around the social media was a little negative towards her being around Jessie so much, Elphaba really didn't want to hurt Jessie's fanbase.

"I might need you, though. You are my personal assistant, after all." Jessie said, getting a frustrated sigh.

"Fine, if you inisist." Apparently Jessie's stubborn streak wasn't lessened during training week.

"Besides, I try not to go anywhere without my good luck charm." Jessie said, getting a shy smile.

"I enjoy spending time with you, too. I guess I can go. Even in Oz, I wasn't fond of going out. The looks I get bother me. From what I've heard about your opponent, you won't need too much luck to win." She gives Jessie a playful wink as she tries to keep the mood light.

"You don't get many here. In fact, a green woman in Los Angeles is considered tame." That drew a hearty laugh out of Elphaba.

"All it took was disappearing from Oz to find a place I fit in." She couldn't help but see the irony in that.

"Maybe, or maybe Earth is the place that your color doesn't matter."Elphaba had never thought about it like that before. All she knew was she wanted to get out of Oz, and the only other place she had heard of was Earth. Wanting to avoid coming across that dimwitted Dorothy and the sleazy Wizard, she adjusted the portal spell to insure that she didn't end up running into either of them. For the first six months on Earth, she thought she had made a mistake. At least, until she met Jessie.

"I have to admit, I am treated like a perfectly normal person here. For the first time in my life, I feel normal." Elphaba admitted, choking up. She found a massive arm wrapped around her shoulder.

"You are normal. It's the rest of us jack offs that have the problem." Jessie said, laying her head on Elphie's shoulder with a silly smile. It got the laugh Jessie was looking for.

"You are silly." Elphie said, shaking her head.

"Of course I am. Would you really know how to deal with me if I were serious?"

"I could learn." Elphie fired back with a teasing smirk on her face.

"OK, then." Jessie shook her entire body, before looking back at Elphie.

"Now, what is the schedule for the banquet?"

Elphaba rolled her eyes at Jessie's antics, "You are up for the humanitarian of the year award."

"That's easy. Decline." Jessie said, matter of factly, "They tried to give it to me last year, too."

Elphaba was a little shocked at that quick answer, "It's quite an honor Jess."

"It's an honor to do the work. To see the smiles on those kids faces. That's an honor. This is a bunch of pompous assholes patting each other on the back." Jessie said, mildly irritated.

"I don't understand you, Jess. You do so much for all these charities, but you won't even acknowlege it. It is OK to admit you're a good person." Elphaba would absolutely jump on an opportunity to be awarded for being good.

"I'm not a good person, though. I'm a coward. I left Sonya in Shang's hands. Let that bastard hit my best friend. I don't deserve any awards. Not until Sonya's free and my friend is OK. Both will never happen." Jessie's fists had clenched. Marcus had pestered her for years about why she would never accept these type of awards. She could never bring herself to say it to him, but when Elphie pushed she just opened up. A part of her was a little scared at how right it felt to tell Elphie everything.

"Jessie, you can't live in that part of your past. It'll make you crazy." Elphaba said, concerned, "And you're no coward. The way you stood up to Tony proved that." It both saddened and worried Elphaba that Jessie thought of herself as a coward when she was by far one of the bravest women she had ever met.

"Tony is an even bigger coward than I am. If he thought he was going to harm one hair on your head in front of me, he had another thing coming." Jessie said, taking Elphie's hand.

"See, that's not a coward." Elphaba said, squeezing her hand comfortingly.

Jessie sighed in defeat, "I know. Sonya used to tell me the same thing. She said I was one of the bravest people she'd ever known. I … it's hard to explain." Jessie found herself wrapped in one of Elphie's comforting hugs. Lately, when she woke from one of her nightmares, she found herself in one of these. It was actually very pleasant and comforting. Two emotions Jessie wasn't used to feeling very often.

"Stop putting my friend down." Elphie whispered, kissing her temple on instinct.

"Yes, ma'am." Jessie said, smiling.

A bit eager to get back to the previous topic, "Good. Now the entire banquet should be over at ten, and I'm assuming we're coming home immediately afterwards?"

"Yeah. I still owe you a celebration night. We could cut out of the banquet entirely. Come back, and I can cook you that dinner I promised you." Jessie threw out, hoping Elphie would take the bait. She didn't want to be there for any stupid award. She let Marcus collect those.

"No, I'm buying the five tickets, remember." Elphaba reminded her.

"Oh, come on. Rubber chicken and veggies or Filet Mignon, twice baked potatoes, and homemade chocolate cake." Jessie grinned, seeing Elphaba's mouth practically water at the thought.

"As tempting as that is, I don't think so. I want to get to cheer you on." Jessie groaned. Not at the thought of Elphie getting to cheer her on, but because she HATED acknowledgement.

"Fine, but I'm not accepting the award." Jessie stated firmly.

"Yes, you are. Jessie, you deserve it. Ninety percent of your free time is spent doing charity work. Plus, if you're dragging me out to a banquet, it's only fair I get to watch you collect your reward." Seeing Jessie about to argue again, Elphaba points to the paper, "Besides, it's clearly printed on your itinerary that you will accept the award. You know my primary job is to keep you following this on a daily basis right?"

"Fine." Jessie said, rolling her eyes.

()

Jessie thrived on busy days like this. She signed autographs for each and every fan, posing for pictures, and ended up being an hour late for the press conference. Not that it stopped the media and ESPN from covering the autograph session. Marcus and Elphaba had to practically drag her to the press conference. Other than introducing Elphaba as her new personal assistant, and letting Elphaba pick the reporters to ask questions, she stuck to the charity. It wasn't that she was trying to be intentionally evasive, but she wanted the attention where it belonged, on the charity. By the time the fight rolled around, Jessie was ready to call it an evening. Her patience level was absolutely zero, but she was happy to have an opponent.

"Good luck." Jessie said, as they touched gloves.

"You're gonna need it." The woman said, going to her corner. Jessie chuckled. She did love arrogant fighters. They were so much easier than the mellow ones.

"What's so funny?" Marcus asked, seeing Jessie still grinning, as she sat in the corner.

"Arrogant little shit taking this too seriously." Jessie said, she was really looking forward to messing around with this fighter.

"Just remember, make it look good. These people paid a hundred a seat, they want to get their money's worth." Marcus said as he looked around the stadium. It really was packed in here, this was going to bring in a lot of good PR if Jessie made it look good.

"I'll draw it out." Jessie said, looking at Elphie over to her right. She got a warm smile.

"Good luck, Jess." Elphie said, giving her a wink. Jessie had a smile on her face that no one could've taken off. Marcus chuckled.

"OK, lover girl, focus." Jessie looked back at Marcus, blushing a little. She knelt in the corner, making the sign of the cross. As she did, Elphie got a better look at the woman Jessie was facing. After staring for a few seconds, her stomach dropped as she recognized the other woman. There wasn't anything she could do before the bell rang. Jessie danced around the octagon, throwing half punches and kicks, and letting the smaller girl land punches and kicks that she would never land otherwise. Jessie had taken her down four times when the bell rang to signal the end of the round. Jessie got off, offering her a hand, and got kicked in the right knee for her efforts, drawing boos from the crowd. Jessie was laughing, as she walked gingerly back to the corner.

"You OK?" Marcus asked, getting a nod.

"That girl really needs to work on her kicks." Jessie said, trying not to wince. To her surprise, Elphie got into the cage.

"Jessie, there's a problem." Elphaba had thrown a glare at the other fighter for the cheap shot to Jessie's leg.

"Don't worry. The shot she landed didn't do much." Jessie said, grinning over at her. Jessie saw the other fighter's trainer whisper something.

"No, Jessie. She's with Tony. She used to be a bouncer at the club. You need to knock her out, now." Elphaba's eyes revealed fear if Jessie didn't heed her advice.

"Elphaba, these people paid for a three round exhibition. A hundred a ticket. We need to give them their money's worth." Marcus said, he really didn't want to lose money by the fight not going three full rounds.

"Jessie, this is a test. If you don't knock her out, he's going to send reinforcements. All the people on her crew work for Tony I'll bet." Elphaba said, nervously.

Forgetting where she was, Jessie put both gloved hands on Elphie's shoulder, and looked her square in the eyes. "It's done." Jessie said, hearing Marcus groan.

"I hope the wrestling match makes up for it." He said, knowing that Jessie made up her mind.

Elphaba hugged her, "Thank you, Jessie." She whispered, before getting out.. Jessie looked over at Marcus.

Marcus grinned, seeing her serious fight face looking back at him. "If you're gonna do it, make it a good one." Marcus said, patting her shoulder, as he stepped out. Jessie came into the middle of the ring.

"You like my sloppy seconds?." The latino woman said, motioning to Elphaba. Jessie's expression didn't change, but her fists did tighten. As soon as the bell rang, Jessie landed an uppercut. The woman flew two feet back before landing unconscious. Jessie looked at the crowd with a sheepish grin, and went back to her corner.

"Damn, she pissed you off." Marcus said, getting a nod.

"Bitch needs to watch her mouth." Jessie said, opening the cage, and offering Elphie a hand inside. Jessie walked her around the ring, holding her hand up in a sign of victory, as the referee and the other corner worked on waking up her opponent.

"Jessie…." Before Elphie could protest, Jessie lifted her onto her shoulder, flexing and posing for the crowd. Waves of flashes went off as thousands of pictures were being taken.

"You deserve it." Jessie said, working the crowd up. Jessie didn't see the woman coming, but Elphie did out of the corner of her eye. With one motion Elphie dove off of Jessie's shoulders and landed on her before she could chop block Jessie's knee. Turning her over, she began wailing the woman with punches, to the delight of the crowd. It took Jessie a few seconds to realize what happened, it took her AND Marcus to pull Elphie off. It took security about five minutes to get the ring back under control after that. Jessie led Elphie out of the ring, to the cheering crowd.

"Jess, we need to get a pair of gloves on her. That was incredible, Elphaba." Marcus said, leading her out.

"You work for Tony, you learn a few things." Elphaba said, as Jessie pulled her towards the locker room.

"Hey Blade! You always let your putas do your fighting?" Jessie heard over the loudspeaker.

"Let it go, Jess." Marcus warned, seeing Jessie turn around.

"Or maybe your personal assistant wore you out before the match." Jessie stopped dead in her tracks, and had a look in her eyes Elphaba had never seen before.

"Take her back to the locker room. Elphie, call K. Tell him the bitches from Vegas are here." Jessie said her voice flat. Her eyes were filled with darkness.

"Jess….." Before Elphie or Marcus could stop her, she went into a dead sprint for the ring. The security had locked the cage door in anticipation. Jessie grabbed it, and began jerking on it. The whole cage shook.

"Blade, calm down." The security guard said. He'd never seen her this angry.

"LET ME IN! LET ME IN!" Jessie said, getting the crowd into it. Soon enough, they were all chanting 'let her in'. Jessie continued to pull on the cage, the posts creaking in protest. The woman and her manager looked panicked. Suddenly, Jessie was being flanked by Rick, Mike, and Marcus, all trying to pull her away.

"Yeah, you look real tough, puta." The woman taunted her. It took all three to drag Jessie off, kicking and screaming. When she got back to the locker room, she punched the brick wall, crumbling off some of the brick. She was beyond pissed.

"Jessie, calm down." Marcus said calmly.

"Calm down? Calm down? Did you hear the shit that bitch was talking?" Jessie was glaring at the three men. She wanted a piece of that bitch for those words.

"Jess, who cares? No one's ever heard of her. She's just trying to get noticed by making a scene. This isn't the WWF, Jess. I wouldn't be surprised if the IWMMA gives her walking papers over this." Marcus said, putting his hand on Jessie's shoulders.

After a few more moments of seething, she noticed that Elphie wasn't around. "Elphie! Where's Elphie?" Jessie asked, nervously. With Tony's people around, she didn't want Elphie out of her sight.

"She went to get your clothes for the banquet. Don't worry, two of K's friends are with her." Marcus said, as Elphie walked in. Jessie walked over, hugging her protectively.

"No where without me tonight, please." Jessie said, practically begging.

Elphie hugged her back, comfortingly. "I'm OK, Jess. It's over." Elphie reassured her.

"No, it's not. But it's going to be. Marcus, give my usual 'she's flattered, but a prior commitment' bulllshit." Jessie wanted to get Elphie back to the loft safely.

"No, Jess. You're accepting that award, and I get to watch." Elphie said, matter of factly.

"But, Elphie…." Really she just wanted to get away from this place.

"No buts. I didn't run from this bastard when I was in Vegas. I'll be damned if I'm going to in Los Angeles. We are going to that banquet. Besides that, K said he was sending some people, and five minutes later, I had two escorts." Elphie said, motioning to the two guys standing at the door.

"Thanks, guys." Jessie said, getting a nod from both, "But wouldn't you rather go home?"

"No, I'd rather see you get the award you deserve." Elphie said, getting a laugh from Mike.

"She's going to accept? That's worth paying five hundred to see." Mike teased, getting flipped off.

"I'm going to the banquet. Accepting the award, now that's up for debate." Jessie said, taking the offered garment bag from Elphie.

"She's accepting the award." Elphie said, as fact, cracking the boys up.

"Damn, Jess. You two aren't even dating yet, and she's got your chick card." Rick said, getting a laugh from Mike.

"I got your fucking chick card right here." Jessie said, flipping them both off.

"You keep inviting me, I'm gonna take you up on it." Mike said, getting an eye roll.

"Please, I'd break you in half and look for another toy to play with." Jessie said, before going back to change. She could hear the laughter from the boys as she walked.

After twenty minutes, Jessie emerged in a tux. However, the long, purple dress Elphaba was wearing that really knocked her silent. It hugged her body like a glove. The low neckline giving the eyes something to look at while remaining tasteful. The skirt went down to the floor and Jessie couldn't take her eyes off Elphaba, she looked stunning. "You look….."

"Silly? Out of place?" Elphaba fidgeted a little. She really wasn't used to wearing things like this.

"Amazing." Jessie breathed, her eyes locked on Elphie's. The boys looked at each other, smiling. Jessie liked her, and they couldn't be happier because it seemed to be mutual. Elphaba was staring back at Jessie with the same doe eyed look.

"So do you." Elphaba said, smiling. She blushed a little, when Jessie offered her arm.

"We've got a banquet to get to." Jessie said, breathing a sigh of relief when Elphie took her arm.

"Jess, the press is outside. Tamara wants an interview for the weekly show." Marcus said, knowing she wasn't going to like it.

"Tell her I'll get back to her on that. I'll give it to her, though." Jessie said, looking at Elphie apologetically. Jessie knew it was going to be a zoo on the way to the limos. Leading Elphie into the hallway, she tightened her grip as they reached the back door. When Jessie opened it, they were illuminated by lamps and flashes. All of the reporters were shouting questions at once, and it nearly gave Elphie a flashback to the lynch mob that came looking for her in Oz. She was grateful Jessie didn't even acknowledge them, and got her into the limo. Marcus, Rick, and Mike were right behind them. Seeing that Elphie looked nervous, Jessie slid closer, "You OK?" She asked softly, as her arm slid around Elphie's shoulder.

"Yeah, I'm just….not used to that much attention." At least not directed at her, or meant to NOT hurt her.

"I'm sorry. That bitch made this hot news tonight." Jessie said, apologetically.

"It's not your fault." Elphie said, rubbing her arm. The rest of the ride was comfortably quiet. Luckily the limo driver took the scenic route, dropping them off in the back of the hotel. The manager was waiting to let them in, avoiding the reporters out front.

"Miss Reynolds, we have your usual suite ready." The manager said.

"Come on, Jack. Cut the Miss Reynolds crap." Jessie said, hugging him once they were inside.

"Hey, I never have you in for the banquets, just trying to show some respect." He opened the door for the two women as they walked through the building.

"I'd rather you show me the exit and tell them I didn't make it." Jessie said, getting a laugh.

"No such luck. But don't worry, it's just going to be the media covering the banquet." Jack said, getting a nod.

"Thanks. You guys go ahead, I need to talk to Jack a minute. Marcus, escort her to my table." Jessie said, pulling Jack aside. When they were out of earshot, "Is Miguel working tonight?"

"Yeah, who else would I trust to run the kitchen on an important night like this." Jack said with a grin.

"Mind if I talk to him?" Jessie asked.

"Of course. He'll be glad to see you." Jack said, leading her to the kitchen. After a few words with Miguel, she went to the banquet room. Jessie felt extremely uncomfortable, as she received a standing ovation upon entering. Face red, she sat next to Elphaba. They chit chatted, as the awards progressed, and dinner was served. To Elphie's surprise, instead of the chicken and veggies everyone else had, she had a lobster. "Jess…."

"The cook's a friend of mine." Jessie said, with a shrug. Elphaba took her hand under the table, squeezing it.

"Thank you." She said, with a warm smile.

"You're welcome." Jessie said, blushing again. As the meal continued, they began giving out their awards. Jessie groaned, knowing hers was coming up. The MC stepped up to the podium.

"And now for the Humanitarian of the Year award. This is the second year in a row our decision was unanimous. Jessica 'The Blade' Reynolds embodies what we wish more people were like. On a moments notice, she will drop everything for anything we ask. When she isn't working with us, she teaches martial arts to inner city youth, helping to instill the dicipline and respect that serves her so well. In addition, she volunteers at many of the local area boys and girls clubs, homeless shelters, and answers the phone for the domestic violence hotline. Somehow, even with all of that, she finds time to train and maintain a one on one relationship with as many of her fans as possible. Truly, if more people were as generous with their time, there wouldn't be a need for Make a Dream Come True to exsist. Please help me to welcome our Humanitarian of the year, Jessica Reynolds." Another standing ovation had Jessie beat red, as she stood up, and walked to the podeum.

"Thank you all for this award, even if I don't agree with it. I do everything I do because these people need help. The kids need to know that someone believes in them. It makes all the difference in the world. I don't think I'm special. I think my notoriety is the only reason people notice. I see people everyday that do the same, and I see parents and kids learning how to give the same. I've never accepted an award like this because I don't feel I deserve one. I'm doing what I hope anyone that could would. I'd really rather you guys take this, and give it to one of the kids. They deserve it more than I do. I'm very grateful that Make a Dream Come True thinks highly of me. I think equally highly of each and every one of you and the amazing work you do with sick and needy children. I'm truly honored and humbled to be a part of this. Thank you all so much." Jessie said, getting another round of applause. She took a bow, and went back to the table. She sat the plaque on the table, showing it to Elphaba. She actually felt like she was going to throw up, as the waiters passed out desert.

"Are you OK, Jessie?" Elphaba asked, seeing Jessie sweating.

"Yeah, just don't like speaking in front of crowds like that." It was one of the underlying reasons she really didn't lke getting awards. Speeches made her nervous.

"You do it every fight." Elphaba stated.

"No, I go out and hype the crowd every fight. There's a difference." Jessie said, shaking her hands out. She didn't touch her desert, grateful when Jack dropped her key off.


	12. Chapter 12

AN: Thanks to all of you for reading! I wanted to give you a heads up regarding this chapter. There is an intense nightmare scene about midway through, involving a rather violent death. No one actually dies, but the scene itself is fairly intense. I also wanted to give a shout out to HiddenPoet, and their story "Harry Who?" If you're into Harry Potter, give it a read! It's a very interesting and different take on Harry Potter. Anywhoo, as always, thanks for the Reviews, and please enjoy.

CK and MIM

Jessie didn't touch her desert, grateful when Jack dropped her key off. She was not in the mood for any of this, "I'm gonna stay here tonight. You're welcome to join me, or you can go back to the dojo with Marcus." Jessie offered.

"I'm a little tired myself. I think I'll stick with you. Plus, I've got your change of clothes." Elphie said, not wanting to be alone, either. Tony's people in town made her nervous. Jessie told Marcus she was leaving with Elphie, and headed out. The minute they left the banquet room, the press surrounded them again.

"Miss Reynolds….." Jessie shook her head.

"I'll be making a public statement sometime tomorrow. Tonight is about Make a Dream Come True." Jessie said, pulling Elphie closer, seeing her nearly pale at the massive crowd.

"Come on, Jessie. You are legendary for never loosing your cool or taking it personally. What happened?" Jessie ignored the reporter, and made her way through the crowd.

"Was it something to do with your new assistant?" Jessie paused for a moment, looking back at the reporters.

"Her name is Elphaba West. She is also off limits." Jessie said, hearing Elphie breathe a sigh of relief.

"But…." Before he could continue, Jack and two bellhops escorted Jessie and Elphaba to a waiting elevator.

"Thanks, dude." Jessie said, giving Jack a quick pound when the door closed.

"No problem, Jess. Sorry about the crowd. Apparently my doorman got a few high tips for admittance. Hope it was worth his job." Jack said, irritated.

"Nah, dude. Don't do that. He's probably got a family to support." Jessie said, concerned.

"Are you sure?" Jack really didn't like that the man broke one of his rules for some extra cash.

"Of course, Jack. Come on, I'm not that much of an asshole." Jessie said, shaking her head.

"He's damn lucky you're a nice person. But he is going to be suspended for three days." Jack said, as the elevator door opened. Much to Jessie's surprise, there was an overnight bag waiting in her bedroom.

"When did you guys start providing this?" Jessie said, motioning to the bag.

"We don't. Marcus dropped it off this morning. I guess he thought you might need it." Jack said, shrugging. Jessie pulled her wallet out, and got out two hundred dollar bills.

"Thanks, Jack." Jack nodded, taking the money.

"Breakfast as usual?" He asked.

"For me, yeah. My friend will have the steak and egg breakfast." Jessie said with a grin.

"I'll have it ready." Jack said, walking out.

"I like him. He seems to take good care of his customers." Elphaba observed, getting a nod.

"Well, I throw a lot of business his way. Anytime I'm doing business and don't feel like going back, I stay here." Jessie said, unbuttoning her jacket, and opening the bag. She laughed, finding two outfits.

"Elphie, he thought of you, too." Jessie said, passing her the pajama set she usually slept in.

"Remind me to thank Marcus in the morning." Elphaba said, going into the bedroom to change.

Jessie did the same, changing into sports shorts and a t-shirt, and stretching out on the couch. She had almost fallen asleep when Elphie came out, "Jessie, may I ask a favor?"

Jessie sat up. "Sure, Elphie. What do you need?"

"I…I really don't want to sleep alone tonight. Would you mind sleeping in bed with me?"Elphaba asked, not sure if she would or not. They had never slept in the same room, much less the same bed.

"Sure, Elphie." Jessie said, putting her arm around her.

Elphie breathed a sigh of relief, as Jessie led her to the bedroom. She laid on Jessie's arm, snuggling into her side. She felt safe with Jessie, and right now she desperately needed to feel safe.

"Goodnight, Jess." Elphie yawned, before closing her eyes. Jessie kissed the top of her head.

"Goodnight, beautiful." Jessie whispered, when she was sure Elphie was asleep. Jessie shook her head at herself. She knew better than to let her heart go to her head. So what if she felt her heart leap every time Elphie walked into the room? So what if, lately, all she could think of was Elphie? That stroke of panic when she said the name Tony, Jessie's grip tightened on her out of reflex. She couldn't imagine loosing her wonderful friend now. Which is exactly why she didn't want to say anything, better to dream than be rejected. Jessie kissed her tenderly on the forehead, before falling asleep herself.

()

Elphaba looked around in a sheer panic. How was she still in Kiamo Ko? She could hear them coming for her. The yelling, the screaming of those fools. They were going to kill her, or drag her back to the Wizard. Running to the top of the castle, she headed towards the trap door. That was her only chance of escape. However, flash bulbs went off when she got to the roof. How did they get up here so fast? Elphaba threw her hands up to protect her eyes. Turning her back she repeated one word in her mind: no, no, no! There was no other way to get to the door. Elphaba turned to see more closing in, and more flashbulbs. She could feel their hands roughly grab her, and tie her down.

()

"No….don't touch me…..please leave me in peace." Elphie mumbled in her sleep, twisting and turning. The motion woke Jessie up, who held her close. Jessie began stroking her long, black hair.

"It's OK, Elphie. It's just a nightmare. You're safe." Jessie began to whisper over and over, trying to calm her. Elphie whimpered, pulling away from the gentle touch.

()

She was being dragged through the streets of Emerald City. Some slapped her, while others spat in her face. More than a few rubbed on her skin, trying to get the green on them. She was in tears by the time they threw her into the wizard's palace. Elphaba's eyes widened when it was Tony that was sitting on the throne.

"I told you, you're my property. You can't leave." He said, roughly grabbing her arm. He dragged her over behind his throne. Jessie, badly beaten and near dead, was tied to a chair.

"Jess?" As if on clue, Jessie looked up at her, apologetically.

"You thought that could protect you?" He said, landing a vicious punch to Jessie's cut up stomach. She doubled over, her eyes filled with sorrow and obviously in agony.

()

"Leave her alone….she didn't do anything…..please…..Jess….." Elphaba tearfully mumbled.

"I'm OK, baby. And you're OK. You're safe, Elphie." Jessie felt lost right now. She desperately wanted Elphaba to wake up so that this nightmare would end.

()

Elphaba could only watch, as Tony worked Jessie over to the point that she was almost dead.

"Any last words, bodyguard?" He said, ripping the tape off her mouth.

"Elphie….I ….." Before she could finish, Tony dragged a dagger across her throat.

"You had to run, didn't you, Elphaba?" Tony taunted her, as Jessie bled out.

()

"JESSIE!" Elphaba screamed, bolting upright.

"I'm here. I'm here, Elphie." Jessie said, holding onto her for dear life. She kissed Elphie's head, rocking her soothingly. Elphie was openly weeping, beside herself.

"I've got to go." Elphaba stated before moving to get up.

"Go? Go where, Elphie?" Jessie asked, confused.

"Anywhere. I'm not safe for you, Jessie. I have to leave." Elphaba had settled back down on the bed, trying to calm herself a little. Truth be told she really didn't want to leave the comfort of Jessie's arms.

"Slow down, Elphie. What happened?" Jessie asked, not letting her go. Elphie clung to her like something bad would happen if she let go.

"I dreamed….I was back in Oz. They….they found me. The hunters. They tied me up…and brought me to the wizard's chambers. They were slapping me, spitting on me. Then I get there, and it's Tony. He … He killed you, Jessie." Elphie said, sobbing into Jessie's chest.

"Enough of this. Listen to me, beautiful. He can't touch me. He can't touch you anymore, either." Jessie said, kissing her head.

"But he can. Do you think it was an accident that I knew that girl?" Elphaba normally wasn't one to get shaken up by something like this. However, Jessie had become more important to Elphie than she realized.

"I'll call K tomorrow. When I'm done with that sonuvabitch, he'll wish he hadn't been born. But you're not going anywhere, beautiful." Jessie's words were comforting, but her grip revealed that Elphie really didn't have a choice on getting up right now.

"Jessie, he could kill you. He's done it before." Elphaba really didn't want Jessie getting hurt...again.

"So has Shang Tsung. So has Kano. If I had a nickel for every time one of the jack off boyfriends threatened to kill me in Pittsburgh, the shelter would be funded for life and I could retire. Elphie, I promise you, he can't hurt me. Except by hurting you and fuck if I'm going to allow that." Jessie said, holding her close.

Elphaba nodded her head as she relaxed against Jessie, "Thank you." Her tears began slowing and her breathing became normal again as she just clung to Jessie.

Jessie held Elphie, rubbing her back in slow circles until she fell back asleep. When she did, Jessie moved to the living room, staying in earshot, and called K. After hanging up the phone, she got on social networking and explained to her fans what really happened last night. She also explained the current problem. With that done, she crawled back into bed with Elphie, holding her close.

()

Marcus hadn't made it back to the dojo yet, either. He stayed in the room across from Jessie's to avoid the press. Her opponent, Maria Lopez, had fired up an absolute shit storm. Not surprisingly, she was fired before she left the arena. The IWMMA prided itself on fighting, not drama. Jessie, for her part, got a fifteen thousand dollar fine and ordered to issue a public apology for her behavior.

Marcus chuckled, imagining exactly what he thought Jessie would say. He had gotten the key from Jack, and decided to let himself into Jessie's apartment. He assumed she would be up. His jaw nearly hit the ground, when he saw Elphaba and Jessie laying in each others arms. The only part that had him shaking his head was they were both fully dressed.

"Jessie?" Marcus said, trying not to laugh. Jessie moaned, looking up at him.

"Go the fuck away." Jessie whispered, nuzzling back into Elphie.

"Sorry, kiddo. We've got business. The IWMMA made their decisions last night." Jessie groaned, sliding out from Elphaba's side.

"Shhhh, she's had a rough night." Jessie said, worriedly.

"So have you." Marcus said, as they went into the sitting area.

Elphaba smiled inwardly at Jessie's reluctance to get up. She had actually woken up a few minutes before Marcus walked int. However, she was so comfortable she decided to pretend she was still asleep. Elphaba was curious about what Marcus had to say.

"How rough was it?" Jessie asked, curiously.

"Well, Maria Lopez is fired. You got hit with a fifteen thousand dollar fine and you have to issue a public apology." He prepared himself for Jessie to get pissed about the apology.

"Not a big deal. I'll be glad to." Jessie said, yawning. She was relieved when the door bell rang with room service, and coffee. She made her a cup.

"Really? You're OK with apologizing?" Marcus asked, shocked.

"I'm OK with apologizing to the fans, the Make a Dream Come True Foundation, and the IWMMA. Maria can kiss my creamy white ass." Jessie said, as fact, closing the bedroom door. Kneeling next to the bed, she gently shook Elphaba. Elphaba let her shake a second time before opening her eyes.

"Good morning." Elphaba said, closing her eyes a moment. Her head was killing her.

"Breakfast is here, whenever you're ready. Marcus is here too." Jessie said, brushing some hair out of her face, "Are you OK?" The look of concern in Jessie's eyes made Elphaba absolutely melt.

"I'm fine. Thank you for worrying." Elphaba said, leaning forward. On impulse, she kissed Jessie softly, before pulling back, "I'm so…."

Before should could say anything, Jessie closed the area between them, kissing her deeply. There was so much need and desire behind the kiss Elphaba thought she was still dreaming. When Jessie pulled away, she looked down, smiling.

"Even if I get slapped, it was worth it." Jessie said, looking into Elphie's eyes lovingly, "I have wanted to kiss you since I saw you in the diner." She admitted, shyly.

"Believe me, I would have liked to kiss you, too. You are the first person on this world that treated me like I was normal. No, you actually you treated me like a lady, and I've never been treated so well." Elphaba admitted, a light blush coloring her cheeks.

"You're a queen, Elphie. You should be treated like one." Jessie said softly.

That drew tears from Elphie's eyes, as she pulled Jessie into a tight hug. "Thank you Jess." Elphaba whispered.

Marcus cleared his throat before speaking loudly, "Hey, Jess the limo is gonna be here in two hours."

Elphaba sighs but doesn't pull out of the hug, "He has really bad timing."

()

Jessie was dressed in jeans and her fight shirt, when she showed up to the press conference, Elphaba and Marcus at her side. She stepped up to the microphone. "I will address all of your questions and concerns, but I have a statement to make first. I apologize...to the fans, the IWMMA, and the Make a Dream Come True Foundation for my rude and unprofessional behavior last night. I got carried away when I heard the disrespectful and uncouth statements made by my opponent last night. I should have remained calm and walked away. Once again I apologize for my behavior. However, I will never apologize for standing up for the honor of any woman being besmirched. Maria decided to betray the IWMMA's code of Ethics when she attempted to attack me from behind, and continued with her comments. While my reaction I apologize for, I will not apologize for the reason I had it. I teach my kids to stand up for themselves and the people they care about. I wouldn't encourage them to do it in the way that I did. Now I'll open the floor for questions."

Elphie and Marcus looked at each other, and groaned. "I should've known it wouldn't be that easy." Marcus whispered to Elphie, trying not to chuckle.

"It is definitely Jessie." Elphie said, smiling herself.

"Maria is saying that you had her fired not to have to face her for the belt. After the way she stuck in with you in the first round, I'm inclined to agree. How do you respond?" Asked a reporter with a thin nose from the front row.

"I don't dignify it with a response. I knocked her cold with one punch in the second round." Jessie said, matter of factly.

"There's a rumor going around that your personal assistant was a Vegas showgirl. In fact, according to Maria, she was recently discharged for being caught with a customer. Any response?" Jessie looked back at Elphie, who was outraged.

"Number one, Elphaba West is off limits, as I mentioned last night…" Jessie stated, almost glaring at the snobby reporter near the back who had made the comment.

"Nothing's off limits, Blade, you know that." Said a female reporter in the center of the group.

"She is." Jessie stated.

"No, she isn't." The man with the thin nose sneered.

"Really? Conference over, thank you for coming." Jessie said, walking off to the reporters shouting questions. She walked out, Elphaba and Marcus right behind her.

"Jessie, you should have answered." Marcus said, shaking his head.

"No. I told them Elphie's life is off limits. I chose to be in the limelight, she didn't. Besides that, the question was offensive. Call Tamara, tell her I'm hers at her ready. Tell her I'll answer basic questions about Elphaba that she gives permission for, and are voiced respectfully." Jessie said, as they got into the limos.

Elphaba hadn't said a word since that question was asked. Marcus held the door open for Elphaba and Jess, closing it behind Jess. With that question posed, he knew they needed some private time. Jessie slid over, enveloping Elphie in a hug.

"I never touched any of those bastards, other than that fucking Jello match." She snarled. Jessie nodded.

"Just let it go. This isn't about you, it's about me. She wants a match." Jessie explained. On some level, Elphaba knew that.

"Jessie, this has Tony's name written all over it." Elphaba said, getting a nod.

"I know, but this has to do with me. He's hoping he can convince you to come back by harassing me. Elphie, I can't make you stay but please don't leave. I haven't had anyone make me feel as alive as you do for a long time." Jessie said, taking her hand, and kissing it. Elphie pulled Jessie into a hug.

"I'm not leaving, Jessie. I promise." Elphie said, holding her close. Jessie breathed a sigh of relief hearing that.


	13. Chapter 13

Jessie got out first, helping Elphie out of the limo. After leaving the driver a large tip, she put her arm around Elphie, walking with her to the door.

"We're tired of coming to get you, green bean." Before Jessie could turn around, she found her head flying through the thin glass window in the door. Seconds later, Elphaba found herself being grabbed by two men.

"Jess!" Elphaba yelled, as she began fighting the two men trying to drag her away. Her knee flew into one of their crotches, as the other grabbed her from behind, lifting her up.

"Maybe we should snap her this time." The one holding Elphaba said laughing. Jessie fell backwards, her head bleeding.

"HELP!" Elphie yelled, as the other two began wailing Jessie with kicks and punches.

"Bitch…." The one she kicked said, raring back. Before he gets a chance, a fist flew into his gut. Elphaba breathed a sigh of relief, seeing K, as five clicks of guns being cocked were heard.

"Get up, motherfucker. I just polished these boots." K said, as the other put her down. The minute she was free, she ran to Jessie's side.

"Jess?" She said, nearly crying. Taking advantage of the distraction, Elphie ran her hand over Jessie's face, her fingers getting bloodied. When she pulled away, Jessie's cuts were minor and were no longer bleeding.

Jessie looked up at her, face bloodied, and managed a grin. "I'm OK, beautiful. Don't worry," Jessie pulled her in, kissing her head, "Thanks, K." Jessie said.

K nodded. "No prob, Jess. You OK, little E?" K asked, Elphaba nodded, "Then lets get inside before the LAPD comes around." K's group rounded the four up, and Elphie and K helped Jessie up. K's group sat them in the middle of the floor when K and Elphie walked in with Jessie betweem them.

"Sit here." Elphie said, leaving no room for argument. As badly as Jessie's head was hurting, she didn't argue.

K looked at the four men sitting on the dojo floor, seeing one of them reaching for something in his jacket. K pointed the gun at his head. "Unless you feel like dying, I wouldn't do that, amigo." K said, "As a matter of fact, all jackets off and weapons on the mats. Get creative, and you're going back to Vegas in a ziplock balls first."

They looked at each other, they had little choice but to cooperate. Four guns, two knives, and a pair of brass knuckles were laying on the mat a few minutes later. Elphaba came back with a pan of water and towels.

"K, their ankles. Check the ankles." Jessie said, coughing a little.

"You heard the lady." Sure enough, four 38 specials were laying on the floor a few minutes later.

"How did you know?" Elphie whispered, as she began cleaning Jessie's face.

"Nobody goes with one gun." Jessie said, matter of factly, as K's men collected the weapons.

"Nice. Other than adding to my collection, what the fuck are you bitches doing in my neighborhood?" K asked.

"Hey, look, we came to get property she stole. Give us our property, and we'll be off your turf for good." The 'leader' of the group of four said.

K listened to the man, looking at Elphie. Jessie's arm slid around her, primarily to hold her back. "You saying little E is property?"

The leader rolled his eyes. "Look at her. Could the freak be anything but property?"

K took two steps, before burying his doc martin into the man's mouth."Call her a freak again, and I'll punt your skull through the fucking wall. But since you pretty bitches want to talk about property, how about I turn you four out on the corner. I'm sure someone would pay top dollar to pop your virgin asses." K said, chuckling.

With the blood gone, there was still a small gash on Jessie's forehead. Elphaba couldn't finish healing her here, there were too many eyes that could catch it. "Oh, Jess." Elphie said, worriedly.

"Please! I get deeper cuts shaving my legs." Jessie said, dismissively, "K, just remember, we split the profits." Jessie said, like they talked about this all the time.

"Of course. I wouldn't cut you and little E out of the profits. After all, you brought MY property to me." K said, looking all four over.

"What….What do you want?" One of them asked, nervously. He hoped they were just talking smack.

"You four are going to take a message to Tony. Tell him Big K Martins said he's going to cut the balls off the next sorry sonuvabitch that sets foot near Big Jess and Little E. Tell him he's gonna be my bitch if this keeps up. He will leave her alone."

"What the fuck do you care? She's a mutant, and she belongs to the boss." One of them said, scoffing.

"Pounce him." The other three watched, as K's crew beat him within an inch of his life.

"K, call them off, please." Elphaba said, she wasn't one to normally balk at an evil person getting the punishment they deserve. However, these four idiots were just messengers.

"OK, guys." K said, waving them back, "Collect your trash, and get the fuck out of here." K said, as Marcus walked in.

"What the fuck happened to….." He paused, seeing the scene in front of him, "What the fuck?"

"They tried to snatch Elphaba." Jessie said, her grip on Elphie increasing. Seeing the gash, Marcus shook his head sadly.

"Morning, K. I see you have the situation in hand." Marcus said, walking to the back office.

"What about our guns?" One of them asked, getting a laugh from the whole group.

"You're lucky you're breathing. Get your asses out of here." K said. They collected the semi conscious one, and left. K's crew followed them, just to make sure. K walked over to Jessie and Elphaba.

"Thanks, dude." Jessie said, giving him five.

"Anytime. Are you OK, E?" K asked, genuinely concerned. To his surprise, she hugged him.

"Thank you." Elphie said, her voice shaky.

"Don't sweat it. You're part of my crew. They won't fuck with you again." K said, hugging her back comfortingly, "Now that the trash is taken out, you guys gonna be OK? I gotta go get little K from his music class."

"We're good, bro. Thanks." Jessie said, hugging him

"No problem." K said, leaving.

Elphie led Jessie upstairs. "How are you feeling?" She asked, when they got there.

"I'm OK. I know what you did." Jessie said, looking at her. Elphaba looked down. Jessie gently cupped her chin, looking her in the eyes. "Thank you." Jessie said, kissing her cheek.

"So, do you want me to finish healing you, or take a bath?" Elphaba asked, clearing her throat to rid the butterflies.

"Can we do both?" Jessie asked, chuckling as Elphaba blushed even deeper.

()

Elphaba was relieved. Other than the interview with IWMMA representative Tamara, Jessie had a free schedule for the week. As Tamara was setting up in the dojo, Elphie watched from the back office with Jessie.

"And you're sure it's OK to talk a little about you?" Jessie asked, concerned. She didn't want Elphie being in a bad spot.

"It's OK, Jessie. Just don't talk about Oz. Vegas is fair game." Jessie walked up behind her, her arm slipping around Elphie's waist, as Elphie watched the setup.

"I promise, I'll make sure it's accurate." Jessie said, getting a nod.

"I know you will." Elphaba said, resting her head on Jessie's, and closing her eyes. She wasn't comfortable at all with being on display, but Jessie had done too much for her not to trust her to deal with this appropriately. It just felt like Oz again. Morrible spreading all of those lies about her throughout Oz, and no one speaking out in her defense. She nodded at the thumbs up from Tamara, letting her know that she was ready. Jessie, in her fight shirt and shorts, sat down in the folding chair across from Tamara.

"Jessie, thank you for joining us." Tamara said, smiling warmly.

"My pleasure. Good to see you again." Jessie said, returning the smile.

"It's not very often you're on the receiving end of this kind of attention. Normally, you're one of our most popular and approachable fighters." Tamara said warmly.

"Yeah, this has been kinda out of my norm," Jessie agreed, "But I'm still approachable. My fans are still number one."

"So what happened out there?" Tamara asked, leaning in.

"Well, Maria made some disparaging comments about my friend and personal assistant, Elphaba West. Unfortunalty, I lost my temper and made quite a spectacle of myself. Thank goodness Marcus Raimes, Rick 'the dozer' Gruber and Mike 'The brick' House were there to pull me away from the cage. That's not the impression I like to make, but I wasn't going to listen to her disrespecting Elphaba, either. I made a choice, the wrong reaction for the right reason. I'm sure every single adult fan of mine has had the same situation happen." Jessie said, being as truthful as possible.

"I would think so. Now, Maria was terminated from the company for this incident, but it hasn't stopped her from releasing more accusations about Miss West. For instance, one of the rumors is she was a Vegas performer that she was caught in a compromising position. Is there any truth to that?" Tamara asked, trying to vocalize it as respectfully as possible.

"It's a half truth. Miss West WAS a performer in Vegas attempting to get out of the performing business. Her and I came to an agreement for her to come work for me." Jessie explained.

"Jessie, I hate to spring this on you, but the IWMMA received a video last night. It's involves both you and Miss West in a very compromising position." Tamara said, getting an eyebrow raise.

"I'd like to see that." Jessie said. She was a bit confused, her and Elphaba hadn't done anything compromising least of all in public. What could they possibly have? Jessie was shocked to see a video of that damn Jell-o match between her and Elphaba.

"Any explination?" Tamara asked, a little accusingly.

"None. I had met Elphaba at a diner in Vegas the night before. She told her boss, Tony, or was it Tonya? Anyway, she told him that she wanted out of his mud wrestling shows. He wasn't too thrilled with that prospect. Her green tattoo makes her very recognizable, and a favorite among his crowds. He gave her this Jell-o match as a way of punishing her. She was homeless when she arrived, and he held that over her head to force her to do whatever matches he wanted, if she wanted to eat and have a place to sleep. I had given her my number in case she needed to talk. When she told me the match he was forcing her to do, I agreed to come in, and take the match myself." Jessie said all of this calmly; however, the memory still angered her.

"This Tony sounds like a real sleeze." Tamara observed, relaxing a little at the explanation. The IWMMA was very aware of her work with the homeless and domestic violence issues, and fully supported her in them, even promoting some of the shelters like the one in Pittsburgh.

"Oh, he is. Not only that, he's a coward. He attempted to assault her in the diner, even going so far as to threaten me with a gun for interviening." Jessie stated.

"Sounds scary." Tamara said, leaning in.

"Oh, it was. I was terrified, but at least it distracted him long enough for her to get out. Unfortunatly, with no where to go, she had to return to the club." Jessie was still upset that Elphie didn't trust her enought yet to let her help.

"I'm surprised, Jessie. We've seen you actually take in people yourself to prevent them from having to go back into the situation." Tamara said, a touch disappointed.

Before Jessie could answer, Elphaba walked into the shot. "She did. She rented a hotel room for me. Unfortunatly, if I wanted to eat or make money, I really didn't have a lot of other options due to my skin color."

Jessie was shocked to see Elphaba standing there. "Elphaba…." Elphie looked at Jessie with a smile that said I know what I'm doing.

"Miss West, I was told you were off limits." Tamara said, surprised.

"Yes, Jessie's been trying to protect me from the media. But you have been incredibly nice and respectful, I felt you deserved an answer from me personally." Elphaba said, getting a wide smile from both Jessie and Tamara.

"Get Miss West a chair." Tamara said. Moments later, she was sitting next to Jessie. Jessie's hand discreetly brushed Elphie's in support. She mouthed thank you, getting a smile from Elphaba.

"Please, call me Elphaba." Elphie said, getting comfortable, as they attached the microphone to her collar. Jessie watched in awe, as Elphaba fielded the questions with an ease and grace that had Jessie both proud and floored. She couldn't have been more impressed. Not only had Elphaba won over Tamara, but even her crew liked her.

"So, Jessie, do we sense a little something other than a working relationship between you two?" She asked, getting a blush from both of them.

"I'll leave that to the fans to determine." Jessie said, getting a knowing smile.

"OK, Champ! Thanks for explaining everything. And good luck, Elphaba." Tamara said, smile in place, as they cut.

"Thanks, Tamara. I appreciate you letting us tell the truth." Elphaba said, shaking her hand.

"My pleasure. To be honest, this is the first time that Jessie's ever had a problem like this, at least at an event. The girls and I were just hoping that she wouldn't get fired." Tamara said.

"The girls and I?" Elphaba asked.

"Yeah. Jessie and I work on the domestic violence hotline together. When I graduated, she got me the interview." Jessie looked down, blushing.

"No, your transcripts, resume, and audition tapes got you the interview. I just dropped it off at the office." She said, dismissively.

"Yeah, and she'll go down saying that." Tamara said, grinning.

"I've noticed." Elphaba said, as Tamara gave Jessie a hug.

"Don't worry. All of this will blow over, I promise." Jessie nodded, as the crew began breaking down. Seeing Marcus in the office, she excused herself. Walking into the office, she closed the door.

"Marcus, I want her." Jessie said.

Marcus looked at Jessie curiously. "You want who?"

"That bitch. She sent the IWMMA a video of the Jell-o match." Jessie's anger was unmistakable.

"Oh, shit." Marcus said, shaking his head. He knew that could be bad.

"I handled it, but I want a piece of that skank bitch. I don't care what you have to do, make it happen." Jessie said through her teeth.

"Jessie, she's fired. The IWMMA won't sanction it." Marcus said.

"I don't give a shit about what they sanction or not. I don't care if it's in a hotel, in a parking lot, in a back alley. You just make sure it happens." Jessie said, seething.

Knowing that Jessie wouldn't give up on this. "OK. I'll see what I can do."

"Anytime, anywhere. I'll even put up a million of my own money if she can last three rounds with me." Jessie was beyond pissed that this bitch stooped that low.

"Jessie…." Marcus warned.

"Marcus, I'll have Elphie arrange a press confrence and do it myself if you don't do it." Jessie warned.

Marcus groaned, "I'll get it done." He said, smirking, "You gonna let her make it out of the first round?"

"I haven't decided yet." Jessie said as she walked back out.


	14. Chapter 14

Jessie was kicking herself. She should have named the place. She had been pacing the length of their apartment since Marcus told her an hour ago. She couldn't let Elphie go back, not to that fucking town. Of course they would pick Vegas it was home field advantage, but with Elphie there...

_Real fucking bright, Jessie._ She thought to herself, shaking her head.

Marcus was working out the itenerary for tomorrow. Tomorrow night in Vegas virtually no training time; although, she was sure Maria had been training her ass off since she started this. Not that Jessie was truly worried about the fight, Jessie could knock her out at will. Hearing Elphie coming up the stairs and groaned, she really didn't want to tell Elphie about the fight.

"Hey, you're home early." Elphaba said, seeing Jessie in the living room. The look on her face said it all, "What's wrong?"

"Well, I got my match." Jessie said, getting a smile from Elphie.

"This is what you wanted, right?" She said hopefully.

"Yeah. The catch is, it's tomorrow night in Vegas." Jessie said, gauging her reaction.

"I'm assuming we're flying in, then?" Elphie said, no change to the smile. Jessie sighed.

"I'm flying. You're staying here." Jessie truly hoped that Elphie wouldn't argue about this decision.

"Like hell I am. Jessie, I need to be there." Elphaba's smile was now gone as she looked at Jessie.

"No, you don't. Elphie, if you're there, he's going to try again." Jessie's eyes betrayed how worried that thought made her.

"And if I'm not there, then he wins. Why did you have K looking out for me? So that I can go where I want to and feel safe, right," Elphie asked, getting a nod, "Jessie, if I'm not there, then all this was for nothing. He's going to think I'm afraid of him and he's going to try to force me back. He won't stop until he gets his way if we show one ounce of weakness. Besides, how is K going to watch your back in Vegas and mine here?" Elphaba asked.

Jessie shook her head slowly. "There are too many ways he can get to you in Vegas. Elphie, I'm not sure I can keep you safe." That was her deepest worry, that she would lose Elphie in Vegas if they weren't right next to each other the entire time.

"Jess, I appriciate the concern, but - in case you didn't notice - I can take care of myself." Elphaba said, taking her hand reassuringly.

"I would feel better if I KNEW you were safe, that's all." Jessie gently squeezed Elphie's hand.

"Jessie, with all the media around every one knows who I am now. Elphaba West, your personal assistant and friend. He can't just grab me off the street anymore. Even Marcus said it's safe. He gave me my ticket before I came up." Reaching into her pocket, she pulled out the ticket.

"I can hide that." Jessie said, motioning to the ticket.

"That's fine, I'll just fly there on my broom. It wouldn't be the first time I've flown myself." She said with a smirk.

Jessie chuckled at that, "OK if you want to go I'll call K. He will be an extra protection unit for you. You stay with him, OK? I don't ever want you alone while we're there." She hoped Elphie would agree to her terms.

"Agreed." Elphaba said, nodding.

Jessie put her arm around her. "I just worry about you."

Elphaba leaned into Jessie's arm. "I know, and I appriciate your concern." She said, honestly, "We fly out tonight at six, so let's get packed."

Jessie sighed before nodding in agreement.

()

Jessie woke up extra early and found Elphaba sound asleep next to her. Jessie had asked her to stay in the room with her once they had arrived in Vegas. K would follow her during the day, but Jessie took the responsibility herself at night. With all of the nightmares they both had, they found sleeping in the same bed helped. Jessie wasn't ready to admit this out loud, but she seemed to be sleeping better when Elphie was right next to her. She slipped out of bed and got changed. Going downstairs, she decided to go for a run to clear her head.

She knew the danger Elphaba was in just being there. It both impressed and scared Jessie that she was so non chalant about the entire thing. As much as she was growing to care for Elphaba the last thing she wanted was that asshole getting within ten feet of her. No matter how much she hated it, Elphaba was right if Tony thought she was afraid to be here he'd never stop trying to get her back. She ran along the main drag before turning around and heading back to the hotel. Winded and tired, she got on the elevator. Her eyes narrowed when Tony and two other men got on with her.

"Nice morning run there, champ." He said, smirking, as the doors closed.

"Do it every morning. Helps clear the mind. I'd recommend it, but first you have to have a mind to clear." Jessie said, smirking herself.

"Don't try to be cute. You're in my town now." He said with a frown.

"I'm sure the Las Vegas Tourist Commision would disagree." Jessie said, shaking her head in disbelief, "Did you want something, or are you just trying to fuck up my morning?"

"I just wanted to check on the mutant. Make sure she's in the same condition when I collect her tonight."

Jessie's fists tightened at her side at Tony's comment. "What delusion do you live in that makes you think, even for a second, she's going anywhere with you?"

He smirked when he saw Jessie's fists tighten in anger. "That depends on you. You and I need to talk business." Tony said, as the elevator stopped.

"You want to talk, we'll talk. You and I. I don't talk with extra ears." Jessie said, motioning to the two mountains with Tony.

"That's not a problem." He said, as Jessie opened the hotel room door. She closed it behind him, liking her one on one odds better, should he press his luck. He looked around the penthouse suite, and whistled, "Upscale. I'm sure the freak was impressed."

Jessie turned around, glaring at him. "Stop calling her that, or get the fuck out." Jessie said, picking up the phone.

"I wouldn't call security. She'll pay for that." Tony said, getting waved off.

"Room service? This is Miss Reynolds. I'd like a steak and egg breakfast, an eggs benidict breakfast, an order of cinnamon rolls, milk, orange juice, and coffee. Thirty minutes is perfect, thank you." Jessie said, hanging up, "You've got thirty minutes. I'd suggest you don't waste them."

"The way I see it, you owe me money. My clientele, for some reason, liked that freak. I'm loosing the five grand a week they brought in. So you're going to give me a hundred thousand. Fifty thousand for the sales and fifty thousand for having the nerve to take my property." He was completely relaxed as he waited for Jessie's answer.

"Uh-huh." Jessie said, pouring herself a cup of coffee she had set to brew before she left.

"Oh, that's not all." He stated when Jessie seemed to brush that off.

"No? Please, continue." Jessie said, as he sat on the couch, "Be careful, if I get charged for cleaning those grease stains I'll take it out of your ass." Jessie said, sitting on a recliner across from him.

"You're a funny girl." Tony said with a half hearted smile.

"So are you. Now get on with it, dipshit." Jessie said, sipping the coffee.

Tony bristled at her comment, but decided to let it slide for now. "And you're going to mail me five thousand dollars a week for life. That makes us square, and my associates leave her alone." He said, dead serious.

Jessie laughed, shaking her head. "Do I look like publishers clearinghouse? I don't have that kind of money. Even if I did, I wouldn't give it to you."

"Well, then. You can kiss her goodbye. If she's a good little bitch, I might let her see you once in a while." Jessie put down the cup in a flash.

Before she could get up, Tony pulled the gun. "Sit down." Jessie sat back down, "I might be willing to let her go for less."

"Do tell." Jessie said, glaring a hole through him. He put the gun away.

"This fight tonight, all of them in fact, are unsanctioned right?" He leaves his hand on the gun just in case Jessie makes a move towards him.

"Very good. You can read." Jessie said, wrapping her fingers on the armrest.

"So if you loose, it doesn't mean anything, right?" He was on his way to making a point, but he wanted to make sure she followed his train of thought.

"Right. You got a point, before I collect social security?" This man really was annoying.

"Go down. Go down by knockout in the first round. You do that for me, and the mutant is all yours." He wondered if Jessie would really consider this offer.

She wasn't completely expecting that kind of offer from the sleaze bag. Picking up the cup, Jessie sipped the coffee considering his offer. She really didn't care about winning or loosing. If it insured Elphie would be left alone, it was definatly an option. "How do I know you won't come after her anyway."

"My word is gold." Tony said with a wide smile.

"Your word means about as much to me as what I flushed last night." Jessie quipped before sipping her coffee carefully.

"You don't and I promise you that she's not getting out of Las Vegas." Tony said, the words making Jessie cringe.

"Like hell." Tony didn't have the chance to turn around before Elphaba had him in the nerve hold Jessie had shown her after the attack.

"Ahhhhhh…" He flailed in Elphaba's surprisingly strong grip.

"Jessie, get the gun." Elphie said, tightening her grip. Jessie got up, and did exactly that. She dropped the clip unloading the gun.

"Let … Me….Go." Tony managed. The hold had the left side of his body all but paralyzed with burning pain.

Elphaba let him go, going to the front to jerk him up. "Your property?" Elphaba landed a hard punch to his jaw, sending him into Jessie, who landed a kidney punch. He fell forward in agony, landing on his stomach. Elphaba kicked him in the ribs, forcing him onto his back.

"Elphaba….." Before Jessie could finish, she holds up her hand to silence her.

"She will NOT throw that fight. In fact, she will knock your girl out in the first round." Elphaba stepped on his groin, driving the heel she was wearing straight into it.

"You're hurting me." Tony called out, hoping for sympathy. His voice actually sounded a good deal higher than before.

"Oh, no. This isn't pain." Elphaba landed a hard punch to his pelvis, as a crack was heard. Even Jessie flinched in response, "Pain is what I will do if you EVER show your face around Jessie or I again. Do you understand?" In too much pain to speak, he nodded his head, "Jessie, I know we're in a hotel, but would you mind taking this trash out?"

"Not at all." Jessie said, as Elphie finally stepped off his groin.

"You….You're done. I'm calling immigration, bitch." He said, trying to get up. Jessie laughed.

"Isn't that cute, Elphaba? He thinks you're not legal." Jessie said, grabbing his ear, and pulling it until he got up.

"This isn't over! You better throw that fight, if you want to make it out of Vegas." His voice was shaky from the pain, and it still sounded about two octaves higher.

"I'll think about it." Jessie said, opening the door. Instead of shoving him out, she kicked him hard in the ass, sending him tumbling out. The two men with him ran to his side, as Jessie closed the door, locking it.

"You're not throwing the fight." Elphaba said, matter of factly. She was furious at the gall of that sleaze to come in here and try to blackmail Jessie like that.

Jessie walked to her, enveloping her in a hard hug. "This is why I didn't want you in Vegas. What if they confronted you instead of me?" Jessie said, kissing the top of her head.

Elphaba softened her face, looking up into Jessie's worried one. "Then K and Marcus would have handled it. As you can see, I can take care of myself." Elphaba said.

Jessie chuckled at that, "Yes, you can. Nice job with the nerve hold, by the way." Jessie said, finally letting her go.

"Well, I had a great teacher. Come on, the breakfast you ordered should be here any minute." Elphaba said nonchalantly.

Jessie looked at her wide eyed. "How long have you been up?"

Elphaba blushed as she shrugged her shoulder. "About an hour. I got dressed, and was waiting for you. Then I heard Tony's voice and had to listen."

"I'm glad you stayed put. I was scared to death he would discover that you were here." Jessie said, pulling her into a protective hug.

"Well, he did. Jessie, I spent so much time in Oz trying to outrun the wizard's guards, the witch hunters. I lived in fear of everything, suspicious of everyone. Even my first six months here were the same until I met you. I'm not running from these people. I have my documents. I'm Elphaba West, born in Topeka, Kansas. Let him call immigration. I'm not going anywhere." Elphie said, rubbing her back, comfortingly, until Jessie was ready to let her go.

()

Elphie and K were having a hell of a time keeping Marcus under control, especially after he heard what happened that morning. Now Jessie was an hour late to dress and tape, and the fights had already started. Mike had won his handily, and Rich was stretching his out a bit. Unlike Jessie's, they weren't personal. Just a couple of local fighters Mike and Rich had met at the gym. Rich didn't mind stretching it out. Marcus paced the floor, calling Jessie's cell phone again.

"She will be here, Marcus. She wanted this match." Elphaba said, trying to calm him down.

"I know. I'm just wondering if Tony is having another chat with her." Marcus said, as the door opened. Jessie walked in in jean shorts and her fight T-shirt.

"Where THE HELL have you been?" Marcus asked, getting a shrug.

"Getting my soul straight." Jessie said, popping her neck.

"Don't you do that after the fight?" K asked.

"Usually. But I needed to clear my head and heart. Otherwise I might really hurt the girl." Jessie said, sitting on the bench.

"Well, get dressed. You're running late." Marcus stated.

"I am dressed." Jessie said.

"Damn, Jessie. You aren't taking this fight seriously?" Marcus asked.

"No. I'm going down in the first round." She said.

Elphaba's jaw tightened as she looked hard at Jessie. "Jessie, I forbid you doing that."

"Come on, K. We've got to let Rich know he can end it now." Marcus said, leading K out.

"Elphie, if it gets him out of your life, it really is OK." Jessie said calmly.

"No, it isn't," Elphie got right in Jessie's face, "If you do this, he will NEVER be out of my life. Every time he wants to make some extra cash, he'll come after you to throw a sanctioned fight," Jessie stood there, grinning, "What in the hell are you grinning about?" Elphaba was actually furious at Jessie for choosing that damn deal.

"Gotcha." Jessie said, laughing. Elphie punched her in the arm, "OWWWW! Hurting your fighter before the fight is never good, Elphie." Jessie winked at her, as she gently rubbed her arm from where Elphie hit her.

"Neither is teasing your personal assistant like that." A hint of a smile begins to form on Elphaba's face. "So why no fight gear?"

"Because it'll take me longer to get changed than it's going to take to knock the bitch out." Jessie said, matter of factly.

"Now that's more like it." Elphie said, rubbing the spot she hit.

()

Jessie came out to _War_ from Sick Puppies, Elphaba at her right and Marcus at her left. K hung back, within reach if needed. Unlike her usual fight demenor, she looked mellow, stopping to smile and pose for pictures for the crowd around the ring. It took almost the entire song to actually get in the ring. When she did she saw Tony sitting in the third row with a bag of ice on his pelvis and chuckled.

She motioned K over. "That's him."

"Gotcha." K said, he stepped off to the side to let the couple of guys from his crew know who Tony was.

Because the fight was unsanctioned, the cages were removed, leaving an octagon shaped karate ring. Marcus got in, seeing the arrogant smile on Maria's face, and the smirk on her managers.

"You're laying down to her? Your rankings are going to go into the toilet." Marcus said, shaking his head.

"Who cares about rankings." Jessie said, not even bothering to warm up.

"Who cares about rankings? Just great." Marcus said, as the referee pulled them into the middle. Jessie had a bored look as he explained the rules.

"Shake hands and come out fighting." Maria stuck out her hand. Jessie looked at her, and turned to walk away. Maria slapped her in the back of the head, getting boos from the heavy Jessie fan crowd.

"You're going to let her get away with that?" Marcus asked, getting a grin.

"Of course." Jessie said, walking to the corner where Elphaba was standing.

"Knock her out." Elphaba whispered, hugging Jessie's neck.

"That's a promise, beautiful." Jessie said, watching the blush crawl onto Elphaba's cheek. Jessie feeling bold, kissed her cheek gently.

"OK, save it for the room. It's business time." Marcus said.

Jessie turned around, the same non chalant look on her face. In her t-shirt, jean shorts, and tennis shoes. No gloves and no tape, Jessie looked more like she was going to a picnic than showing up for a fight. Jessie moved to the middle of the ring, completely relaxed. She didn't even take a stance, as the bell rang. Maria danced around in front of her, before throwing a kick. Jessie caught her leg, landed one shot to her knee that sent a sickening snapping sound echoing through the arena. When Maria screamed, Jessie followed it up with a punch between the eyes. The leg supporting Maria began to wobble her eyes rolling back into her head from the force, and blood flowing out of her nose.

"Next time you run your mouth will be the last." Jessie said, before landing one more punch to Maria's jaw, the impact visably misaligning it. She let go of Maria's leg, letting her fall to the mat, blissfully unconscious. Jessie walked back to the corner, waiting for the referee to call it.

"She's out." He said, calling for her corner.

"She cheated! She had to cheat!" Her manager said, angrily pointing at Jessie.

"Thank god." Marcus said, breathing a sigh of relief.

"Come on, Marcus. Do you really think I'd lay down for her?" She asked, laughing, as Elphie got in the ring. Jessie grabbed her around the waist in a hug, lifting her for the crowd to see, as the medics slowly revived Maria. They got her up before she stumbled, falling back down. To everyone, especially Elphaba's surprise, Jessie walked over to her.

"This is over." Jessie said, sliding her arm under Maria's leg. She carried her to the gurney, careful of her severly swelling knee, "I'm sorry about that." Jessie said, honestly. The knee strike was so automatic, Jessie hadn't even thought about it.

"You cheated!" Maria's manager said, shoving Jessie.

"Get out of my face before you get knocked out." Jessie said, shoving him back, and turning her attention back to Maria, "Just take it easy. They've got you from here." Jessie said, before getting hit with a kidney punch, driving her into Maria. Before she could turn around, Marcus and K were pulling Elphaba away from the manager.

Jessie sick of this bullshit grabbed the microphone. "KNOCK IT OFF!" Jessie, for the second time in her professional career, raised her voice in the ring. Everyone stopped, and even the crowd fell silent, "When I came here three months ago, I had the privilege of fighting for the women's heavyweight championship in front of some of the greatest fans in the world. Not a bad way to spend an evening. When I came here I also met my assistant, Elphaba West. Only, she was a performer for that waste of space," Jessie pointed straight at Tony, "For those of you that don't know, his name is Tony Shiarbrook. He runs a strip club just off the strip called Battling Beauties. He orchestrated this whole little love fest because he's pissed off that his top performer is tired of performing. In fact, he made me a deal. I lay down to Maria in the first round, and I never see or hear from him again. If I didn't, Elphaba wouldn't make it out of Vegas."

She looked at Tony, who was fuming, and smirked. "He's tried to ruin my reputation and Mrs. West's to force her to return to performing. She QUITS, Tony. This so called 'manager' for Maria is an employee of Tony's. Don't let this fight fool you, guys. This was a grudge match, but not between Maria and I. For the record, Maria is a solid fighter. If she can get rid of her current associates, and back into the good graces of the IWMMA, she's got a bright future ahead of her."

The crowd began to pity poor Maria at that revelation. As Maria was being wheeled out, she got a standing ovation. When the cheers died down, Jessie walked over to Elphaba, microphone still in hand.

"Now, I need all of your help. I have needed to do this for three months, but I always loose my nerve. Yeah, even the Blade has those moments," She smiled at Elphie, as the laughter died down, "But I really like this lady. So guys, help me out here. Elphaba, would you let me take you out?"

The crowd started chanting 'Say yes'. Elphaba, for her part, was blushing madly. She really just wanted to get out of the ring. Elphaba took the microphone, trying to find her voice.

"What they said." She said, smiling shyly.

"YES!" Jessie yelled, hugging her and twirling with her around the ring to more cheers.

"I'm going to get you for that one, my pretty." Elphaba said so that only Jessie could hear.

"I know. I'm looking forward to it." Jessie said, letting her down. Security escorted them to the back. After Jessie got changed, they headed back towards their room.

"Miss Reynolds?" Jessie turned, to see an older man.

"Yes, sir. Can I help you?" Jessie asked.

"I'm Phillip Shiarbrook. Anthony is my son." Jessie swallowed hard. Noticing it, he raised his hand, "No, I'm not looking for trouble. In fact, I wanted to let you know Tony won't be bothering either of you again. Kevin let me know what was going on," He reached into his pocket, handing Jessie a card, "You hear from him again about this, you call me."

"Will do, sir." Jessie said as she pocketed the card.

"By the way, nice fight. I made a nice little profit tonight." He said with a slight twinkle in his eye.

Jessie laughed. "Glad you liked it."

"Yeah, I can't wait to see you and The Machine rematch. You need to watch her ground and pound." He stated.

"Yes, sir, I do." Jessie said, shyly.

"Anyway, let me leave you two alone," He took Elphaba's hand, kissing it, "Again, please accept my apologies. Tony's always been the black sheep. I swear, if he fucked up tying his shoes, I wouldn't be the least bit surprised." He said with a smile.

"Apology accepted." Elphaba said.

"Good evening, ladies." With that, Philllip turned, and walked away.

"Hard to believe that's Tony's father, isn't it?" Jessie said, once they were out of earshot.

"Such a nice man. And apparently a fan of yours." Elphaba agreed.

"Hey, everybody loves The Blade, man! She's awesome." Jessie said, her fight bravado kicking in.

"Some of us like Jessie even more." Elphaba said, arm sliding around Jessie's waist.

Jessie gripped her around the shoulders, as they got into the elevator. When the elevator closed, Elphaba looked at her a little hard, pulling away, "I can't believe you did that to me."

"Did what?" Jessie asked confused.

"You asked me out in the middle of the octagon." Elphaba said as she crossed her arms in front of her body.

"Oh, come on! You can't be mad at me for that." Jessie said, eyes widening. She really hadn't though about it. It just seemed like a fun thing to do at the time.

"Oh, yes I can. I've never been so self conscious in my life." Elphaba paused for a beat as a smirk appeared on her face. "Or felt so thrilled." Elphaba said, kissing Jessie's cheek.

Not wanting to miss the opportunity, Jessie turned into the kiss deepening it. Elphaba's arms wrapped around Jessie, pulling her closer. When the kiss finally broke, Jessie found herself looking into Elphie's desire filled eyes.

"So, how do I make it up to you?" Jessie asked, hearing the bell ding.

"I'll think of something." Elphaba said, as they walked down to the room.

"I'm sure you will." Jessie said, chuckling nervously, as she fumbled to open the door. Walking inside, Elphaba grabbed the do not disturb sign, and hung it on the door.

()

Marcus didn't like this at all. Jessie calling Tony out. His father confronting her alone in the lobby. He was worried, and headed to Jessie's room to make sure she was OK. When he saw the do not disturb sign, he smiled.

"About fucking time." He said to himself, walking off.


	15. Chapter 15

Jessie woke up earlier than Elphaba, which was actually a really good thing. It gave her time to really process exactly what happened last night. Although, the pillows, comforters, blankets, sheets, clothes, and various furniture in disarray helped confirm it. Jessie had a bright smile on her face and her eyes were barely able to leave the emerald beauty beside her.

Getting up, she quietly snuck into the living room, to find an even bigger mess. She smiled, remembering some of the highlights of making that mess. Jessie shook her head, tightening the robe around her. She made a pot of coffee, and called up room service. Sipping on her cup of coffee she straightened up a little, before signing onto her social media sites. Most of the comments were positive, and wanted to know more about Elphaba. She did get a few hate messages and drop offs on her twitter account and facebook. Considering all of the media attention about this it was nothing Jessie couldn't live with. Jessie was transparent to her fans, but she didn't make life decisions on their wishes. She learned a long time ago, the harder you try to please people the more depressed you get.

When she checked her personal email, she saw one from her younger brother Lucas. Clicking it open she rolled her eyes when she saw that it was an idea for their parents thirtieth anniversary party.

The only time anyone from Jessie's family bothered to contact her was when they wanted something. This was no different, they wanted the family to get together at an all inclusive beach resort. Her siblings - one a teacher, the other a lawyer - thought it would be a good idea to fly the entire family in for the party. However, like every other time these two got a brilliant idea for a 'family' get together, they don't have the spare money. Jessie just shook her head, of course they would stick their noses into her life when everything was going well. Why couldn't they just leave her alone?

Elphaba had slowly begun to wake up when she smelled the alluring aroma of coffee being brewed. Shifting on the bed she realizes that Jessie isn't next to her. Sitting up slowly, she looks around the room with a smirk. Last night had been amazing. She heard Jessie typing on the keyboard and slowly got out of bed. Grabbing a robe she slips it on before walking out to the sitting area. She saw Jessie shake her head and sigh. "What's wrong, love?" Elphie asked wrapping her arms around Jessie from behind.

"Nothing that won't keep." Jessie said, closing the notebook, and putting it on the table. She motioned Elphaba into her arms. Elphaba smiled as she hoped over the couch and into Jessie's lap. Jessie hugged her tightly and kissed the back of her head, "Last night was incredible."

"Yes it was." Elphaba agreed, turning to capture her lips in a proper kiss.

"My fans want to know more about you." Jessie said, getting a laugh.

"As your personal assistant? Are they that nosey?" Elphaba said with a wink.

"You've always been more than my assistant." Jessie said, holding her closer.

"I know. You've been a wonderful friend to me, Jess." Elphaba said.

"Elphie, I think…." Jessie stopped herself. Elphaba turned in Jessie's arms, so she can look into her eyes.

"You think what?" Elphaba's heart rate spiked.

"I think I want to be more than just your friend. I think I'd like to be your girlfriend., if you'll have me." Jessie said, holding her breath for the answer.

Instead of answering Elphaba buried her head in Jessie's robe crying. Jessie held her, kissing her head. Could it be true? That someone wanted her regardless of her green skin? It truly felt like a dream come true that someone genuinely wanted her.

"I wouldn't have anyone else on Earth." Elphaba managed through her tears.

"Thank you, God." Jessie whispered into the wind.

Elphaba pulled back from Jessie's shoulder so that she could lean in and give her a gentle kiss.

()

"You're welcome." Raiden said, watching the scene from across the room. He knew they couldn't see or hear him, at least for the moment. When Elphaba looked around a smirk appeared on his face. He knew she was powerful in Oz, but that power seemed to grow with each minute on Earth. Jessie had done what Raiden had known she would do. All in all, everything was on schedule.

()

Elphaba had reluctantly broke the kiss when she felt something odd in the air and began looking around the room. Jessie's hands ran up Elphie's arms, feeling goose pimples. She looked in the same direction as Elphaba.

"What is it, Elphie?" Jessie asked, worriedly.

"I don't know. You ever get the feeling you're being watched?" Elphaba finally sensed where the odd...presence...was in the room and focused on that area.

"Sometimes." Jessie said, as the doorbell rang. Elphaba was relieved, when Jessie went to answer the door. She didn't want to tell Jessie what she actually felt when she focused. She felt a strong magical presence in the room. It felt like the user was as strong as she was, if not a little stronger. She didn't believe it wasn't Shang Tsung, because it didn't feel like dark magic. In fact, it felt almost too bright. As room service set up, Elphaba continued to stare at the area where she felt the presence.

()

Raiden found himself unable to look away. He knew she could sense him, but it astounded him how accurate her senses were. She was staring straight into his eyes. The uneasy feeling that brought on was negated by the confirmation that he had indeed made the right choice. Between her and Jessie, it was easily their best hope of reuniting Sonya with her family. He nodded very pleased at the progress of his plan before vanishing.

()

Jessie and Elphaba had just finished breakfast, when they heard a knock at the door. Getting up, Jessie answered, finding Marcus on the other side.

"You two decent?" He said with a grin.

"As we're going to get." Jessie said, letting him in.

"Good morning, Elphaba. You look….rested." Marcus said, trying not to laugh, "You two do know you've got to pay for any damages, right?"

"We didn't break anything, did we, baby?" Jessie asked, sliding behind Elphaba. Jessie's arms wrapped around her stomach, her head resting on Elphie's shoulders. Marcus smiled even brighter.

"Not that I know of. Maybe a couple of records." Elphie said, winking, "Especially that holding your breath record. Jessie, I think you broke that one multiple times last night….and this morning."

"I think you got longest eye roll." Jessie said, chuckling, as she kissed Elphie's cheek. Marcus chuckled, a light blush crossing his cheeks from the mental images.

"OK, you two. Jess, the reaction in the media to what you did last night is phenomenal. The IWMMA is thrilled about the way you handled yourself. They thought carrying Maria to the stretcher and getting the crowd behind her showed the respect that they want to represent the company." Jessie's face sobered a bit.

"How's Maria?" She really did feel bad about the shot to her knee.

"She's fine. I checked on her myself last night. She's got a hyperextend knee, a broken nose, and a wired shut jaw. She's not going to be fighting anyone for at least six months." Marcus said, getting a head shake.

"Take care of her hospital bill." Jessie said.

Elphaba sighed, "Jessie, after everything she did….."

"Everything she did was instigated by Tony. She's not going to be able to work for a while. That's my fault. It's the least I can do." Jessie said, honestly.

"Marcus, is she always like this?" Elphaba asked, getting a nod.

"Ever since I've known her." He said.

"Look, I broke her jaw, it's over. I really don't think this was her doing, at least not all of it. How are the fans taking the other announcement?" Jessie asked curiously.

"Most of the feedback has been positive so far. There have been calls to IWMMA's corporate office demanding you be stripped of the title." Marcus wasn't sure how Jessie would take that. Although, he was fairly happy that so few people seem to be against Jessie and Elphaba.

"Great. What's IWMMA's stance?" Jessie asked.

"My understanding, it was unanimous that your personal life is just that, personal. Everyone had their suspicions long before this, anyway." Marcus stated.

"I didn't think we were obvious. Did you, Elphie?" She said, laughing.

"No, not at all." Elphie said, snuggling into Jessie.

"Well, it was to everyone else," Marcus looked at the clock, "I'll meet you two in the lobby." Marcus walked to the door, Jessie following him, "I'm happy for you." He whispered, patting her shoulder, before leaving.

()

Jessie took advantage of Elphaba packing, and stepped onto the balcony. Getting out her cell phone, she called her brother, Lucas. She put it on speaker before he answered.

"Jessie, I'm glad you called. The resort is only able to hold the rooms for another six days." Lucas stated flatly.

"Good to hear your voice, too, Lucas." Jessie said, rolling her eyes.

"Look, I hate to rush it, but I thought Jan had her part, but she doesn't. I really don't want to loose these rooms. Mom and dad would love it." He said.

"I'm sure they would. How much do you need?" Jessie said.

"One hundred and fifty thousand." He said, non chalantly.

"What's your portion?" That was a pretty steep price for half...

"Oh, I, uh…." He floundered.

"That's what I thought." Jessie said, a hint of anger in her voice.

"Hey, don't get smart with me. Not all of us are out gallivanting the world and getting paid insane amounts of money. Besides, after what you did last night, you need to do something for mom and dad." He snapped back.

"What did I do last night?" Jessie asked, confused.

"It doesn't surprise me. You were probably high last night. Asking that green….thing…." The disdain for Elphaba was clear in his voice.

"Thing?" Jessie could feel her blood start boiling.

"Yeah, thing. It doesn't surprise me, though. You always did attract freaks. Birds of a feather and all." He said, laughing.

"Just remember, you need money from this freak." Jessie reminded him.

"You have to do it, anyway. You embarrassed the entire family last night. Really, Jessie. Everyone knows you're lonely, but another woman? If you're that desperate for a date, I could hook you up with one of my fraternity brothers. I'm sure one of them does pro bono work." He said, with another laugh.

"I'm sorry the fact that I like this woman is such an embarrassment to you and the family. On the other hand, I didn't pick up an undercover hooker, did I?" The laughter stopped, and there was a tense silence on the phone. Jessie smirked.

She'll get bored with your fat, lazy ass soon enough, anyway. When are you gonna make the payment?" He said, ignoring the jab.

I don't know if I am. I mean, I'm such an embarrassment and all." Jessie said. Honestly, she busted her ass more than ANY of her family members and he had the nerve to call her lazy?

Oh, come on, Two Ton, I was just joking. All that time you spend in Los Angeles remove your sense of humor, sis?" He said casually.

No, not at all. You two come up with these great, grand getaways. Why aren't you funding them yourselves? You're a lawyer, Jan's a teacher." Jessie asked.

And you're a multimillionaire that won't even help your family." He snapped.

When have you guys done anything, ANYTHING to help me?" Jessie said, her temper rising.

When have you done anything but embarrass everyone? You owe this to mom and dad for all the shit you've put them and the rest of us through. Mom can't even show her face at church now. A lesbian for a daughter. Although, I still think you're a man…."

Jessie hung up too irritated with the conversation to keep listening to him. She leaned against the rail, looking over the Vegas skyline. The phone rang again. Jessie picked up. "What do you want, Lucas?"

"Look, just think about it, OK? The family would love it. And it's only a hundred and fifty grand. You give away more than that to that charity you like. Help us out, man. Mom and Dad deserve it." He actually sounded somewhat sincere.

Jessie sighed, getting her anger in check. "When's the party?"

"April 13-21. It was cheaper to book for the family for a week." He said.

"OK. How many of them are going?" Jessie wasn't really 'in the loop' on how many family members there currently were.

"Fifty RSVPs, so far. I'll email their names and cities so you can book their tickets." He said, a hint of excitement in his voice.

"Fine." Jessie said.

"Thanks, TwoTon." Lucas said.

"Tell mom and dad I love them and I'll see them there." There was an awkward silence on the phone.

"Look, I can't make you not come, but it might be a good idea for you to stay away. Mom is really upset with you right now. Poor Dad hasn't heard the end of it." Lucas said solemnly.

"Pay for the family to have a vacation, and I'm not invited?" Jessie asked, barely able to believe what she just heard.

"Jessie, be reasonable. It's not like you would have a good time, anyway. Moping around the resort. Even your friend wouldn't enjoy it." He stated.

"How do you know what she would enjoy?" Jessie said, furious that he was even talking about Elphie.

"Well, she's a low class stripper, if that interview was right. She wouldn't know what to do at a five star resort. It's out of her league." He said, getting an eye roll.

"Just e-mail me the lists." Jessie said, hanging up. She turned around, grabbing the garbage can. Jessie began puking her breakfast into it. She honestly hated any time these people contacted her. It was always for something. They had done nothing but put her down her entire life. The last people she wanted to hear from or see was them.

Hearing the puking, Elphaba came running. "What happened, love? Are you sick?" Elphaba asked, worriedly, rubbing Jessie's back.

"Yeah, my stomach's upset, for some reason." Jessie said, she really didn't want to tell Elphie about the phone call.

"Come on, let's go. We'll take care of it when we get you home." Elphie said, leading her inside. Jessie was quiet on the elevator ride down.


	16. Chapter 16

Elphaba yawned the smell of food wafting into the bedroom. With Jessie no where around the bedroom, Elphaba could guess the culprit of those wonderful smells. She smiled brightly, after four months together Elphaba still wasn't used to how well Jessie treated her. Jessie did things for her that she couldn't imagine anyone doing for her. Maybe Nessa...Glinda definatly, but never anyone else. Elphaba pulled the blanket back over her and pretended to still be asleep. She could smell biscuits, potatoes, and turnovers. As much work as Jessie put into it, she didn't want to disappoint her by being awake when she came back into the room.

Jessie was taking her time arranging the breakfast tray. The scrambled eggs, home fries and bacon on one plate; the biscuit and turnovers on another. Orange juice, milk, and coffee were on the tray along with creamer and sugar. She topped it off with a single red rose on the side of the tray. She carefully carried the tray to Elphie's side of the bed, and slid back into bed with her. Elphaba let Jessie kiss her twice before opening her eyes. The first thing she saw was Jessie's smiling face.

"Good morning." Elphie said, returning the smile.

"Good morning, beautiful. Sleep well?" Jessie asked hopefully.

"Mmmmm, very. How about you?" Elphaba asked.

"Like a baby. No nightmares again." Jessie said, kissing her cheek, "Breakfast is served." Jessie motioned to the tray.

Elphaba looked over at the feast. "It looks delicious. You're joining me, right?"

"No, all for you." Jessie said, letting her sit up.

"Come on, Jess. There's plenty." Elphaba said, sitting up. She patted the bed next to her, inviting Jessie to sit.

Jessie sat next to her, smiling. "You're beautiful in the morning light, you know." Jessie said, kissing her cheek. Elphaba blushed, before beginning to eat.

"It's delicious." Elphie said, sipping the juice.

"I'm glad you like it, beautiful." Jessie said, smiling. She enjoyed treating Elphie like this, "And I've got a whole day of pampering scheduled for you at the Masion Fruage."

Elphaba's jaw dropped. "Jessie, that place is ridiculously expensive." Her and Jessie had passed by there on a shopping trip. It was 1500 for the full treatment.

"If you enjoy it, it'll be worth it. I got you the full day experience." Jessie said with a smile.

"Jessie, that's too extravagant." Elphie said, getting a head shake.

"There is nothing too extravagant if my beautiful girlfriend enjoys it." Jessie said, getting another blush. Elphaba got a forkfull of eggs, and fed it to Jessie.

"I told you it was good." Elphie said, getting a nod.

"Ehhh, it's better when I do it with the onions and peppers and tomatoes, but I used all of those we had in the potatoes." Jessie said, with a shrug. Elphaba fed her a bite of potatoes.

"It's perfect. Just like you." Elphaba said, kissing her cheek and getting a deep blush.

"Ummmm, yeah. After the spa you get to go shopping. I'm having the driver drop you off at whatever shop you want." Jessie appreciated the complement, but didn't want to linger on that topic for too long.

"Jessie, I have enough clothes." Elphaba reminded her.

"Not for this. I'm taking you out tonight. A proper date." Jessie said, getting an excited smile.

"In that case, can I skip the spa and shopping, and just spend the day with you?" Elphaba asked with a small pout.

"You can, but then I can't get what I need for our date." Jessie said.

"Please?" Elphie said, pouting more.

"Nope. Sorry. Pouts don't work with me." Jessie said.

"They did last night." Elphaba reminded her with a smirk.

"Well, that was last night. The limo will be here to pick you up in an hour, so enjoy." Jessie said, kissing her before leaving. Elphaba ate her breakfast, a wide smile on her face. She had never had someone take such care and consideration in her treatment. She was loving every second of it.

()

When the limo with Elphaba left, Jessie got on her motorcycle. A night like this was hard to plan, even with a weeks notice. Jessie was trying to pull everything together in a few short hours. Getting on her motorcycle, her first stop was the clothing store. She picked out a nice outfit, and headed to the flower shop. With it being October the flower she really wanted was hard to find, but she managed. When she got back home, she found Marcus waiting.

"Your sister called." Marcus said.

Jessie groaned. "Not tonight." Jessie said, carrying in the bags.

Marcus took two, and helped her to the apartment. "You're not doing the vacation again for them, are you?"

"I'm thinking about it." Jessie said.

Marcus rolled his eyes. "Jess, you never go, and you pop for all their expenses. Even when you were in the hospital, none of them came. Why do you do this every year?"

"I don't know." Jessie said, honestly.

"I do. When are you going to learn? No matter what you do, these people are never going to love you. They're never going to respect you. Hell, I'm not even sure they like you." Marcus said, honestly.

"I said I was thinking about it. I haven't done it yet." Jessie said.

"But you will." Marcus said, walking out.

She played the message on her machine. "Hey, two ton. It's Jan. Mom is wondering where they're going for their anniversary. I hope you're going to come through for us. And we need an extra room. My boyfriend wants to come, and mom and dad love him. He's going to be a doctor, isn't that great? Anyway, talk to you later."

Jessie rolled her eyes, and hit the delete button. At least he sounded better than the stock broker from last year. Not that Jessie had actually met him. Getting the stereo remote, she turned on Chicago's greatest hits. Be damned if she was going to let them fuck up a night she'd been waiting for.

()

Elphaba was incredibly relaxed, as she rode home in the limo. She had picked a dress she was sure Jessie would love to see her in. She couldn't help but giggle, a true rarity for Elphaba. The limo driver dropped her off at the dojo. Going inside, she found Jessie waiting.

"How was the spa?" Jessie asked, kissing her cheek.

"It was amazing. Although, the massuse could use a couple of lessons from you." Elphaba said with a smirk.

Jessie blushed brightly. "Well, when I give you a massage, there's love there in the touch. It's a one of a kind, thing." Jessie winked, leading her upstairs, "You change up here, and I'll change downstairs."

"Don't be long." Elphaba said, hugging her, "Thanks, Jessie. The spa was incredible."

Jessie blushed, as Elphaba went inside. Going downstairs, Jessie took a shower in the locker room. She got out, dried off, and changed into her maroon dress shirt and black jeans. She took a pair of dog tags out of the pocket, and slipped them on, kissing both. When she got her things from the hospital, all she had from that world were her dog tags and the ones Sonya gave her in jail.

Everyone just assumed she had them made, seeing as she could easily be considered Sonya's biggest fan. Sonya's were upstairs in a special box. With the dog tags resting inside her shirt, she put on the dress shoes, checking their polish. She fiddled with her hair for at least twenty minutes. She normally wasn't this concerned about her appearance, not even for photo shoots or fight night. With her hair down, Jessie walked back into the dojo. She saw one of the kids looking in the window. With a smile, she walked over to the door, opening it.

"Sam, what's up?" Jessie asked, letting the girl inside.

"I'm sorry, Miss Reynolds, I didn't know you were busy." The teenager said, apologetically, "I can go."

"Never too busy for you. What's going on?" Jessie asked, leading her over to the benches.

"I just….I wanted to talk to you." Sam fidgeted where she was standing.

"Well, you've got me. What's going on?" Jessie asked again, getting nervous from the look on the normally happy girl's face.

"My dad….he said you're a freak, and I'm not allowed to come here anymore." She said, sadly.

Jessie's face dropped. "Oh, man. I'm sorry, Sam." Jessie said, hugging her.

She got a weak hug back, before the girl pushed away. "It's OK. I just don't know what to think. You're really dating Elphaba?"

"Yes, I am. It's not that different than you dating LaShan." Jessie said.

"But she's a girl, and you're a girl…." Sam really looked confused about it.

"Last I checked, yeah." Jessie said, a goofy smile on her face, getting a small laugh out of the nervous teen.

"Aren't you supposed to be with a guy?" Sam asked.

"I like Elphaba. I don't really like guys like that. Plus, you've met Elphaba. She's a really sweet person, right?" Jessie asked.

"Right." Sam agreed. She'd even helped Sam with her math homework before.

"So why would I want to date someone not as nice as she is just because they're a guy?" Jessie hoped that Sam would see the logic.

"But what if you find a guy you like better. Would you date them?" Sam was still really confused by this.

"Nope. Because I've dated guys, and none have been as nice to me as Elphaba." Jessie said, matter of factly.

The thirteen year old nodded. "I get it. I asked mom, and mom told me I could still come. I just wanted to talk to you. I don't really understand any of this. I mean, you're still the same person…"

"Wait, were you expecting me to be different?" Jessie asked.

Sam nodded, "Dad said you would be weird, and not as nice. Mom told me I shouldn't listen to him about this."

"Your mom's right." Jessie said.

"She always is," Looking behind Jessie, she saw Elphaba, "Hi, Miss Elphaba."

"Hi, Sam. Everything OK?" Elphaba asked.

Jessie turned around and her jaw dropped. Elphaba was wearing a long, deep purple dress and black heels. The dress was smallest right at her waist and the skirt flowed out hitting just above her knees. It was sleeveless and had a plunging neckline that was still tasteful.

"Yeah, I just stopped by to talk to Jessie. I'll go home now." Sam said.

Snapping out of her shock, Jessie walked her to the door. "So, do you feel better now?"

"Yeah. Thanks, Miss Reynolds." Sam said, giving her a quick hug, before leaving.

Jessie closed the door behind her, and walked back inside the dojo. "You are breathtaking." Jessie said, drawing a deep breath.

"Thank you, Jess. You look sharp in that yourself." Elphaba's comment got a blush out of Jess, "So, did I miss something?"

"Nope. She just wanted to talk to me." Jessie said, walking back into the hallway. She got a single red rose she'd hidden there, and walked back, presenting it to Elphaba.

"Thank you Jess." Elphaba said, taking it from her. She kissed Jessie's cheek, "It's lovely."

"You're lovely, but you're welcome." Jessie said, offering her arm. They walked outside waiting for the limo.

Elphaba leaned against Jessie. "So, what are we doing tonight?"

"It's a surprise." Jessie said, getting a grin.

"I love surprises." Elphaba said, smiling brightly. She had actually been looking forward to this since Jessie told her this morning.

"Your chariot awaits, my queen." Jessie said once the limo pulled up. Jessie opened the door for her. Once Elphaba got in, Jessie followed, holding her close.

"Where are we going tonight?" The driver asked Jessie with a wink.

"I'm thinking we're going to Mario's downtown." Jessie said.

"Yes, ma'am." The driver said, rolling up the seperator window to give them their privacy.

"Mario's? I tried to go there for lunch last week. They were booked." Elphaba said, getting a nod.

"I remember. That's why I made the reservation." Jessie said.

"Do you listen to everything I say?" Elphaba saide with a smile.

"Every word." Jessie said with a smile of her own.

"You treat me so good." Elphie said, snuggling into her side.

"With as busy as I am, I feel like I'm neglecting you sometimes, beautiful." Jessie said, kissing her head.

"You don't neglect me, Jess. I know you've got a lot of responsibilities." Elphaba said.

Jessie shook her head. "None more important to me than the woman at my side." Jessie said, giving her a light squeeze.

"That was smooth, Jess." Elphaba said as she kissed Jessie lightly on the cheek.

"I try." Jessie said.

Elphaba laugh softly, "It's easy when you mean it." Elphaba relaxed against her, as the limo came to a stop.

Getting out first Jessie held the door for Elphaba, taking her arm as they walked in. The look on the hosts's face had Jessie irritated. Elphaba took in in stride.

"Can I help you?" The host asked.

"Yes, we have a reservation for two under Reynolds." Jessie said, getting a polite nod. He went to the reservation book.

"I'm sorry, I don't see your reservation." He said, snobbily.

"Look again." Jessie said, getting even more irritated.

"I don't need to look again. You are not on the list." He said, matter of factly.

"Call your manager, now." Jessie said, her eyes furious, although her voice was calm.

"As you wish." The man said, picking up the phone.

"It's OK, Jessie. We'll go somewhere else." Elphaba offered.

Jessie shook her head. "I don't think so. You wanted to eat here, we're going to eat here." Jessie said, as fact.

The host returned a few minutes later, with another man. The manager's eyes widened, as he recognized Jessie. "Please, excuse our host. Our reservations seem to be out of order this evening,"

He looks at the book, "Ah, there you are, Miss Reynolds. Our best table for Miss Reynolds and her guest." The manager said, quickly walking Jessie and Elphaba to the bar, "Their drinks are on the house." He informed the bartender, before leaving.

"Sorry, Elphie." Jessie said, as she pulled out her chair.

"It wasn't your fault." Elphaba said, sitting down. Jessie pushed the seat back up.

"Still, not exactly the way I wanted to start our date." Jessie said, sitting next to her. They ordered two glasses of wine.

"As long as we're together, Jessie, I really don't care where we go." Elphaba said softly.

Smiling, Jessie lifted her hand, kissing it descreetly. "I do. You deserve the best."

"I have the best. I have you." Elphaba said, the comment nearly turning Jessie inside out.

"Thank you." Jessie said, before the waiter tapped them on the shoulder.

"Your table is ready." He said, leading them to the patio. There was a quiet table over to itself, giving them a limited amount of privacy.

"Thank you so much." Jessie said, as she pulled Elphie's chair out.

"You're welcome. Here are your menus, and I'll be back in a moment for your order." The waiter said, quickly walking off.

"It all sounds really good." Elphaba said, looking at the one page printed menu.

"Yeah, have an idea of what you want?" Jessie asked, curiously.

"I'm having the crab cakes. What about you?"

"I think I'm going with the steak and potatoes. That sounds really good." Jessie said.

"Mmmm, yeah, it does." Elphaba said, her mouth almost watering.

"We can split." Jessie said, getting a smile, as the waiter came over. Jessie had barely gotten done making the order when her business phone rang. Elphaba rolled her eyes. Jessie took it out of her pocket, and rolled her eyes, seeing her brother's number. She sent it to voicemail, "Sorry." Jessie said, sheepishly.

"Who was that?" Elphaba asked, curiously.

"No one I want to talk to right now." Jessie said, matter of factly.

"That's not an answer." Elphaba said.

"I think it was a wrong number." Jessie said, as the phone rang again. She sent it to voicemail.

"Jess, shouldn't you answer that?" Elphaba asked. She really wasn't irritated by the interuption, Jessie was always very busy.

"No, I shouldn't." She said, as the waiter brought the food. If you could call it that. There were two crab cakes sitting alongside a mix of sprouts that looked to Jessie like green hay. She looked at her own plate, and saw the smallest steak she had ever seen in her life with potatoes served in a one bite spoon.

"Mmmmm, looks…." Elphaba began.

"Tiny?" Jessie said.

Elphaba chuckled, "I was going to say delicious, but tiny would definatly fit, too." Elphaba said, picking up her fork. By the time the waiter came to check on them, they had finished their entrees.

"Can I get you anything else?" He asked, hopefully.

"No, just the check, please." Jessie said, flashing a warm smile. He returned it, before leaving, and her cell phone ringing again.

Elphaba sighed, "Answer it, Jess." She said, as Jessie pulled out the phone.

Seeing a different number she did pick up. "Hello? This is Jessie. Hey, how's Josey," Elphaba looked at Jessie with worry, seeing her face fall, "Oh, no. I'm so sorry. Of course, I'm on my way." Jessie said, hanging up.

Elphaba started to make a quip, before she saw the tears in Jessie's eyes. "What's wrong?" Elphaba asked, as the waiter brought the check. Jessie looked at the hundred and twenty dollar check, before leaving two hundreds.

"I'm sorry, Elphaba, but this date is over. I've got to get to UCLA children's

hospital." Jessie said, getting up.

"Wait, Jessie. What's going on?" Elphaba said, walking out with her. When they got outside, Jessie was fighting back even more tears, "What's wrong, Jess?" Instead of answering, Jessie hugged her, crying. Elphaba held her close, letting her cry it out. When Jessie finally calmed down, Elphaba asked her again.

"Josey. She's been a fan of mine since before Raiden took me. She's sixteen, and she's got a brain tumor. She got admitted this week for swelling in her head. I've been staying up there because her mom works two jobs, and couldn't be there. That's why I haven't been getting home until midnight. Three hours ago, they took her into surgery to relieve the swelling. Now it looks like she might not wake up." Jessie said, hugging Elphie and crying even harder.

"Oh, Jessie." Elphie held Jessie's head into her shoulder, rubbing her back soothingly.

"She's in ICU. Her mom said she was asking for me before they brought her into surgery. I'm sorry, Elphie, I really am but I have to go." Jessie said, as the limo pulled up.

"I'm going with you." Elphaba said, as she got into the limo. Jessie told the driver where they were going, in no mood to argue. Instead, she clung to Elphie like a liferaft. Elphie kissed her head, rocking her soothingly. The only time she had actually seen Jessie this upset was after an intense nightmare. By the time the limo dropped them off, the only sign that she had been crying at all was Jessie's bloodshot eyes. Elphaba had a hard time keeping up with Jessie, who sprinted towards the ICU.

"Is she OK?" Jessie asked, running almost headlong into a woman in a waitress uniform.

"No. They said the swelling is getting worse. I called her dad. He's in Montreal, and isn't coming. Jessie, they don't think she's going to make the night." Josey's mom said, hugging her tightly and weeping.

"No, no, no." Jessie said, trying not to cry herself. She looked back when she felt Elphaba's hand on her shoulder.

"Can we see her?" Elphaba asked, after Josey's mom had calmed down enough to answer.

"Sure. She's in room 4. I have you down as her sister." Jessie nodded, leading Elphie back. She walked into the room, seeing the monitors and I.V.s, and shook her head.

"She's such a sweet kid, Elphie." Jessie said, going over to hold her hand.

"It seems that way." Elphaba said, shaking her head. She had sworn to herself never to do this again. However, she couldn't just stand by and watch the woman she loves suffer like this. Or the poor woman in the hallway that loves her daughter so much. Making her decision, Elphaba places her hand on Jessie's shoulder. "Jessie, may I have a moment alone with her?"

"Sure, Elphie." Jessie said, her pain etching through her voice.

"Stand outside for me." Elphaba said, getting a nod. As soon as Jessie closed the door, Elphaba closed the blinds. Settling into a chair next to her bed Elphaba took the girl's hand, and closed her eyes. She began chanting softly, almost silently, as green mist enveloped the girl's hand. Elphaba continued to chant for almost ten minutes, until she felt lightheaded. Hoping that it had taken, Elphaba leaned down and kissed the girl on the forehead. She walked out of the room trying to shake off the weakness that came anytime she did that spell. She smiled when she saw Jessie standing right outside the door just like she had asked.

"I'm sorry, Elphie. I know this wasn't how we planned on spending the evening, but…" Jessie began before Elphie held up her hand.

"Jessie, it's OK. Come on, we'll wait with her mother. I'm feeling a little tired." Elphaba said, putting her arm around Jessie.

"Are you OK?" Jessie immediatly became worried. Elphie looked really drained.

"I'm with you, Jessie. Could I be anything else?" Jessie smiled, noticing Elphie was leaning heavily on her. She led her back towards the waiting room.

"Baby, are you sure you don't want to go home?" She asked, as they sat down.

"I'm not going home without you." Elphaba said matter of factly. Jessie and Elphaba sat in the waiting room all night long. Eventually too weak to fight it anymore, Elphaba fell asleep with her head resting on Jessie's shoulder.

Seeing her asleep, Josey's mom sat next to Jessie. "Thank you for coming, Jess."

"Josey's been my friend since I started fighting. No way I wouldn't be here." Jessie said.

"I know. You're like a big sister to her." She said.

"It's the same. I wish I could help." Jessie said, she hated feeling helpless like this.

"You are. She's been asking for you since before the surgery. Just you being here is a help. So this is the Elphaba Josey was telling me all about?" Honestly a change in topic would be nice. Hopefully talking about something positive will help.

"That's her." Jessie whispered, kissing the top of the head on her shoulder.

"She's very special to you, isn't she?" Her eyes were gentle as she looked at the loving couple.

Jessie looked the older woman in the eyes. "I've never felt like this about anyone. I think I'm in love with her." Jessie said, never breaking eye contact.

"I know you are." The older woman said.

"She probably doesn't feel the same, so it's a moot point. You know me, I've never been anyone's first choice." Jessie stated.

"You're Josey's, and hers, too." She paused for a moment. "Jessie, you didn't see the look in her eyes when I told you. She looked absolutely devastated for you."

"Nah, you're seeing something that's not there. We're dating, but I'll never be lucky enough for her to love me." Jessie said, a sad resolution to her voice.

"She does, you just don't see it yet." The older woman said, knowingly, as the doctor walked out.

"Is anyone here for Josey Walker?" The doctor asked.

"Over here." Jessie said, waving the doctor over, and waking Elphaba up in the process. Jessie took Ms. Walker's hand over the armrest.

"I'm sorry for not talking to you sooner. We had to run all the tests three times. Ms. Walker, your daughter is fine." The doctor said.

"So the swelling has gone down?" She asked, breathing a sigh of relief.

The doctor nodded slowly, "Not only that, the tumor is gone."

"WHAT?!" Her mother asked, wide eyed.

"I don't believe in miracles, Miss Walker, but your daughter turned me into a believer. The tumor has vanished, the swelling is down, and she's perfectly normal." The doctor sounded almost as shocked at his own words as women were.

"Praise god!" Miss Walker said, crying, "Can I see her?"

"Of course. She's on her way back to her room. Congratulations, Miss Walker." The doctor said walking off.

Miss Walker hugged both Jessie and Elphaba. "It's a miracle!" She screamed, laughing.

"Go ahead, tell her I'll be up in a second." Jessie said, getting a nod. Elphaba smiled, seeing the woman excitedly walk away.

"You have anything to do with that?" Jessie asked.

Elphaba shrugged, "Anything to do with what?" Elphaba asked, confused. If Jessie really wanted to know, Elphaba would tell her but not here.

Jessie raised an eyebrow at that. "Uh huh. Have I introduced you to my number one fan yet?" Jessie asked.

"Not yet. But I am looking forward to it." Elphaba said, taking her arm. They walked arm in arm to Josey's room.

"Mom, I'm not crazy…." Jessie smiled, hearing Josey's voice from the hallway.

"That would depend on who you're talking to." Jessie said, walking in with Elphaba.

"YOU! You came to see me last night, didn't you?" Josey asked.

"Of course, Josey. You asked for me." Jessie said.

"Not you, Jess. Her." Josey said, pointing to Elphaba.

"Yes, I did." Elphaba said, starting to regret it.

"You kissed my head, didn't you?" Josey asked.

"Yes, I did." Elphaba answered again.

"See, I told you I was awake." Josey said, matter of factly, "She came in, prayed over me, and kissed me on the head. I told you I wasn't dreaming."

Jessie looked at Elphaba, who looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"See, never underestimate the power of prayers." Ms. Walker said, squeezing Josey's hand.

"I think we better go." Jessie said, getting a head shake from Josey.

"Please don't. I've been waiting to meet Elphaba for quite a while now." Josey said, smiling at her.

Jessie put her arm around Elphaba, leading her next to the bed. "Elphaba, this is Josey. Josey, this is my girlfriend, Elphaba."

"Finally." Josey said, smiling brightly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you. Jessie said you're her number one fan." Elphaba said with a smile.

"Really? She calls me her biggest critic. Marcus brought me the tape of that fight in Vegas. I can't believe you didn't bother to change." Josey said, laughing.

"Hey, what do you always tell me. Dress for the occasion." Jessie said, laughing, "That was a casual beat down." She looked at Elphaba, and winked.

"Yeah, then you told off that Tony guy. You did good, Jess. She's a nice lady." Josey said, smiling up at Elphaba.

"She's got the Josey seal of approval?" Jessie asked, shocked.

"Yes, she has my seal of approval. Why haven't you brought her by sooner?" Josey asked, getting a shrug.

"I've just been crazy busy." Jessie said, getting a huff from Josey.

"Well, I have to bring every boyfriend to visit the dojo, it's only fair." Josey said, getting a blush from Elphaba.

"That's only because I know what those boys are looking for. I just want to let them know I don't mind going to jail." Jessie said, winking at her, "If I understood the doctor, you'll be going home soon."

"That's what he said. The tumor just vanished. I guess somebody up there likes me." Josey said, smiling at her mom, who was tearing up.

"Josey, is it going to hurt your feelings if we go home and get some sleep?" Jessie asked, tiredly.

"No, it's cool. I'll see you later." Josey said, sitting up to hug Jessie, "And it's nice to finally meet my big sister's girlfriend." Josey said, smiling at a blushing deeply Elphaba.

"See you later." Jessie patted her shoulder, before her and Elphaba left.

"She's a very nice kid." Elphaba said, leaning on Jessie with a wide smile on her face.

"Yes, she is." Jessie agreed, as her phone rang again. She looked at the number, before taking the back off and taking out the battery.

"Who keeps calling you?" Elphaba asked.

"I told you, no one I want to talk to. Let's go get a Pink's dog and go home." Jessie said.

"What's a Pink's dog?" Elphaba asked, letting the phone call drop.

"What's a Pink's dog? What's a pink's dog? Where have I been keeping you?" Jessie said, kissing her head, as they got into the elevator.


	17. Chapter 17

Jessie was downstairs setting up for her lesson. What Sam had said was still bothering her. What in the blue hell did who she was sleeping with have to do with who she was? Why would she be any different? Jessie shut it down when she saw her regulars coming in, along with a lot of new faces. She didn't see Sam, or four of her other students.

Jessie taught the class, making a mental note to go find them later and find out exactly what was going on. When the class was over Jessie went to the office, and called the missing students. She knew there was a lot of stupid people in the world, she just never imagined the kind of ignorance in her own neighborhood. After being called a freak, a filthy whore, and a skank; Jessie lowered her head and cried. She couldn't believe these same parents that thanked her for helping them with their kids were now hating everything about her. For the life of her, she couldn't understand why. Walking into the gym, she began pounding on one of the bags each shot getting harder than the last.

Elphaba stood off to the side, watching her girlfriend. She had learned when Jessie had stress to release, a bag was usually in iminent danger. Elphaba had been watching her angrily wail on the bag for over an hour with no signs of stopping.

"Jess?" Elphaba called out, not approaching. Jessie continued to punch the bag alternating the punches with a few kicks, but didn't respond.

"She can't hear you." Marcus said, motioning Elphie to the office.

"What happened? She was happy this morning. Especially with Josey being home." Elphaba asked confused.

"Yeah, but her class didn't go so well." Marcus said, wondering how much he should tell her. He was certain Jessie wouldn't want her to know too much about it.

"What happened?" Elphaba asked, worriedly.

"She had five drops." Marcus said. Elphie lowered her head, having a good idea of why, "But she also had sixteen new enrollments." He said, on the plus side.

"But it's the five that bother her." Elphaba said, understandingly. She began to feel bad for putting Jessie into this position.

"Yeah. She takes these kids personally. She doesn't like to loose one of them." Marcus said, watching Jessie from the window of the office.

"It's because she's with me, isn't it?" Elphaba asked, getting a shrug.

"We get drops from here all the time. It might not have anything to do with you at all." Marcus said, trying to get Elphaba to stop worrying about it.

"If it didn't, would she be pounding the bag like that?" Elphaba asked.

Marcus nodded, "Yeah, she would. Trust me, she takes this place and all of those kids as personally as she takes you. It's just the way she is." He saw Jessie stop, leaning on the bag for support. A few minutes later, she walked over to the cooler, pouring herself a glass of water. Feeling brave, Elphaba walked over.

"So, how long were you and Marcus watching?" Jessie asked, with no preamble.

"You knew we were watching?" Elphaba asked.

Jessie nodded, "Elphie, I can feel eyes on me, too."

Elphaba looked over Jessie carefully, "Then why didn't you stop?"

"Just some things I needed to get out of my system." Jessie said, dismissively.

"I guess dating the green girl brings it's problems here, too."Elphie said, sharper than she had intended.

Jessie's face got serious. "It had nothing to do with you, and don't ever let me hear you say that about my girlfriend again." Jessie walked out without saying another word.

Elphaba was on pins and needles until Jessie came back three hours later. The minute she saw Jessie, she hugged her tightly. "I'm sorry." Elphaba said, near tears.

Jessie had gone for a long drive on the bike to clear her head, she had ended up making a stop along the way that she hadn't been expecting to. She was surprised to find Elphaba hugging her tightly and in tears. "Sorry? About what, beautiful?" Jessie asked, she was very confused by this turn of events.

"I didn't mean to make you mad…" Jessie pulled back, looking her in the eyes. Seeing those tears beginning to fall, she wiped them away.

"Baby, I'm not mad about anything. Please don't cry." Jessie said, kissing her eyes, before pulling her back in.

Elphaba clung to Jessie until her tears were back under control. She looked up at Jessie with a bright smile. "So, where were you?"

"Working on something. I don't know if it's going to work or not, but I felt like trying something new." Jessie said, with a shrug.

Elphaba grinned at Jessie, her curiosity piqued. "What is it?"

"Would you believe a music class? I used to play guitar back in the day. I was thinking about picking it up again." Jessie was a little nervous that Elphie might laugh at her for doing that.

"Sounds like fun." Elphaba said, leaning into Jessie's side. Honestly, Elphaba couldn't wait to hear what Jessie had been working on in the class.

Jessie inwardly breathed a sigh of relief. She led Elphie upstairs, "Come on, I'll cook you lunch, beautiful. I didn't mean to scare you." Jessie said, kissing Elphaba's head. She pulled some chicken out of the refrigerator, when the phone rang.

"I'll get it." Elphaba said, walking towards the phone.

"No, let the machine get it. I'll call whoever it is back." Before she finished her statement, Elphaba had already picked up.

"Hello?" Elphaba asked with a smile.

"Hey, where's two ton?" Asked a man's voice ask.

Elphaba frowned at that, she hated prank calls. "Two ton? I think you have the wrong number." When Jessie heard that name come out of Elphaba's mouth, she headed towards the living room quickly.

"Oh, you must be Elphaba." The voice said, with a laugh.

Elphaba clenched her jaw before responding. "Yes, I'm Elphaba, can I help you?" She didn't like whoever this was on the other end of the phone.

"You can put Jessie on the phone." As he said it, Jessie reached for the phone.

Elphaba shook her head, stepping back. "Jessie is busy right now. Can I take a message?"

The voice sounded a bit irritated, "Yeah, tell Two Ton we need those rooms paid for ASAP."

"What rooms are those?" Elphaba asked, seeing Jessie roll her eyes defeated. She went back to the kitchen, and began stripping peppers and onions for the fajitas. She knew that Elphie would want a full explanation once she hung up.

"That's really none of your business, Elphaba." The voice snipped.

"It is if you want her to do that." Elphaba said, annoyed.

"Look, I know you're new to Two Ton's little team. If you want to keep your job, you'll give her the message." His voice was filled with anger.

Elphaba's eyes harden when she hears his voice change in tone. "I don't think I like your tone."

"I don't think I care what you like. Put her lazy ass on the phone." The anger in his voice is unmistakable now.

"I was right. You do have the wrong number." Elphaba said, hanging up without another word. She walked back to the kitchen and saw Jessie in tears. She wasn't sure if Jessie was upset, or if it was from the onions she was slicing.

"Was it a guy or a girl?" Jessie asked, curiously. It really was the onions she was cutting...mostly. The juice really aggravated her eyes.

"Guy but don't worry, it was a wrong number." Elphaba said, sitting the cordless on the counter. As soon as she sat it down the phone rang again. Jessie sighed as she picked up, "Hello?"

"Two ton! Your assitant, fire her." The voice was cold and firm.

"Oh, I don't think so. What do you want, Lucas?" She asked, annoyed.

Lucas sighed, "The rooms, Two Ton. I got a call from the resort saying they hadn't been paid for yet."

"I haven't had a chance…." Jessie couldn't finish her sentence before her brother spoke again.

He scoffed, "Well, get your head out of your assistant's ass, and get it done."

"Fuck you, Lucas." Jessie said, hanging up. She picked up on the fifth ring when the phone rang again, "Yes?"

"Jess, we need this. Mom and dad need this." Lucas's tone was almost pleading.

"You NEED a resort vacation? Nobody NEEDS a resort vacation." Jessie said angrily.

Elphaba raised an eyebrow, hearing Jessie say that, but stayed quiet.

"We do. We need the family to be there to celebrate mom and dad. We can't do that without your help. Come on, Two Ton, come through for us for once in your life." Lucas was trying to lay in the guilt trip that always got Jessie to pay for these get togethers.

Jessie shook her head. "I'll book it tonight, but you owe Elphaba an apology first."

"I'm not apologizing to that rude bitch." He sneered.

"Must not want the rooms, then." Jessie said.

Hearing a sigh on the phone. "Put her on." Jessie twirled the phone, handing it to Elphaba.

"Can I help you, Lucas?" Elphaba asked.

"Listen carefully, bitch. The next time you don't get my sister when I tell you to, I'm going to make sure you regret it." His voice was filled with anger and hatred.

Elphaba kept her face emotionless, "I see."

His venomous tone continued, "You might be Jessie's flavor of the month, but that doesn't mean anything to us."

"Apology accepted. Did you need anything else?" Elphaba asked, her face and voice revealing nothing of the actual conversation.

"Yeah, tell Two Ton the family thanks her." He stated.

"I'll relay the message." Elphaba said, hanging up, as Jessie stripped the chicken breasts, "Lucas said the family thanks you."

"Yeah, I'm sure they do." Jessie said, her voice distant. She hadn't told Elphaba anything about her family, and hadn't really expected to have to. They weren't interested in anything to do with her other than the money, and usually stuck to her cell phone.

"So what rooms are you booking?" Elphaba asked curiously.

Jessie put down the knife,"Mom and dad's wedding anniversary. I'm flying everyone in and paying for a week at the resort for them."

Elphaba smiled brightly, "Sounds like fun. When are we leaving?"

"The party is in April. It's only October, so a few months." She honestly hoped that Elphaba would forget by then. Jessie wasn't invited, and knew the circumstances would piss Elphaba off. "To be honest, I rarely go to these things. A bunch of drunken family members taking shots at each other isn't my idea of a good time."

"So what? There's a lot at a resort you can do that's got nothing to do with them We don't even have to leave the room. Although if they have a topless beach….." Elphaba's smirk and mischief filled eyes finished that sentence.

Jessie grinned at the thought, but still shook her head 'no'. "Yeah, but they're there. Elphaba, these are some of the most greedy, petty, nasty people I've ever known in my life. I'd really rather you not be exposed to them." Jessie said, dropping the chicken into the sautéing onions and peppers.

Elphaba pouted, "I've already been exposed to them Jessie. Speaking of, who was that..._charming_ man on the phone anyway?"

"My brother, Lucas. He's an attorney." Jessie said.

Elphaba rolled her eyes, "You'd think that an attorney would have better manners. How on Earth do they get clients if they actually act like their stereotype?"

Jessie smiled at that, "He does with everyone but me." Jessie said, continuing to stir the food. When the chicken was done, she held out a forkfull for Elphie to try, "Be honest, I'm trying a different seasoning blend."

She watched Elphaba eat it, giving her a thumbs up. "Really good." Elphaba said, after swallowing, "Where'd you get the new seasoning?"

"Tyrone's mom. He's one of the kids at the boys and girls club. She's a professional chef, and passes stuff on for me to try. We kinda trade off." Jessie said, getting out some pocketed pita bread, lettuce, tomato, and cheese.

"Can I help?" Elphaba asked enthusiastically.

"Yeah, would you get the corn and bean salsa out of the fridge for me, please." Jessie asked, chopping the tomatoes. Elphaba brought it to her. She busted out ten pita pocket fajitas in a matter of mintues.

"Where did you learn this?" Elphaba was genuinely impressed with Jessie's speed.

"One of my many jobs was a short order cook." Jessie explained, she wrapped all but four of the pockets in individual foil packs. She would bring them down for the boys after Elphaba and her ate. Jessie got two sodas from the fridge, opening them. Elphaba was already two bites in, brining another wide smile to Jessie's face.

"This is really good." Elphaba said.

"Thanks." Jessie said, eating one of her own.

()

Elphaba agreed to take down the sandwiches for the guys, leaving Jessie alone for a bit. She took the time to book the rooms and plane tickets. She groaned, seeing they ran a little better than 150,000 total. She had managed to amass enough in her savings to pay for most of it, but she was still twenty thousand short. That meant she had to ask Marcus. Going downstairs, she found Elphaba working with some of the kids on basic punches. She was actually impressed that Elphaba had picked up well enough to help teach. She saw Marcus sitting in the office, and walked in.

"Hey, boss. Whatcha doin?" Jessie said, smiling.

"Paying bills." Marcus said, not looking up.

"I need a favor." Jessie said, sheepishly.

"What's wrong?" He asked, worriedly.

"I need twenty thousand dollars." Jessie said casually.

Marcus raised an eyebrow. "For what? Or should I guess?"

Jessie almost pleaded, "Come on, Marcus. I'm good for it, I just don't have it today."

"I don't have it either. Didn't Elphaba invest some money for you? Ask her." Marcus wasn't going to help Jess out to spoil that rotten family of hers when they treated her like a dog.

"I would, but Lucas managed to piss her off." Jessie said, sheepishly.

"Ask her anyway. Jess, I'd give it to you in a heartbeat, but I don't have it. We only profited five grand this month." Marcus said, getting a sigh.

"Shit. And the students we just lost isn't helping, either." Jessie said, still a bit irritated and sad about losing those kids.

"Don't worry about it. We've been getting calls all day. Apparently a lot of people want to be trained by you. You've got twenty two more in your kids class, and another fifteen women for your self defense class on Thursdays." He said.

"Cool! You really think I should ask her?" Jessie asked, nervously.

"I would. It's your money, even if you just want to waste it on those assholes. How much is it running you this year anyway?" He only asked out of curiosity.

"Hundred and fifty thousand." Jessie said it so quick she hoped Marcus wouldn't hear the full price and freak out.

"HOLY FUCKING SHIT!" Marcus said, slamming the book, "Where the hell are you taking them?"

Jessie grimaced, so much for him not freaking out. "An all inclusive five star resort in Hawaii."

"Hell, can I go?" Marcus said, dead serious.

"I'll send you if you want to, but I'd recommend avoiding it while my family's there. They have this way of fucking up a wet dream." Jessie said bitterly.

"It's Hawaii, Jessie. Fuck them. You better go this time." Marcus warned.

"Yes, sir." Jessie said, winking before she headed back out.

Mike was wrapping up his class. "And a big thanks to Elphaba for helping out." Mike said, as he and the students bowed to her.

She returned it, before seeing Jessie. Smiling brightly she walked over. "I thought you were napping."

"I am. I wanted to book the resort first, and I'm a little short." Jessie said sheepishly.

"Jessie,you've got a hundred thirty thousand in your account." Elphaba said.

Jessie shifted a bit uncomfortably on her feet. "I know. I need twenty thousand more."

Elphaba's eyes widen, "For a vacation?"

"Well, we have fifty people coming, and I'm flying them all in and then the rooms. Do we have enough with what you invested?" Jessie said softly.

"I think so. When I checked it last week, it was seven hundred and thirty two thousand and fifty eight cents." Elphaba said, casually.

Jessie's jaw hit the floor. "Seven hundred thousand? You're kidding right?"

Elphaba smirked at Jessie's reaction. "Nope. I want the names and numbers of everyone you're flying in so I can get an accurate count for rooms and tickets."

"OK, but let's get the rooms booked first." Jessie said, leading her to the office. Seven hundred thousand out of one hundred thousand? .Jessie couldn't have been more impressed.

Elphaba sent Jessie off to teach her next class while she booked the rooms. She called Marcus into her office so that she could add four extra rooms to the list.

()

When Elphaba came downstairs, she thought she had walked into a different world. There were cobwebs, coffins, and a makeshift laboratory. In the middle Jessie and Mike were setting up a lighting machine, Marcus was coming in with another lighting machine, and more mats.

"Jess, what's going on?" Elphaba asked, once she climbed down the ladder.

"It's Halloween! We always turn the dojo into a haunted house on Halloween." Jessie said, grinning.

"A what?" Elphaba asked, still not quite getting the concept.

"A haunted house. We're going to set up the mats to make six different rooms, and we try to scare the trick or treaters." Mike said, grinning.

"Trick or treaters?" Elphaba was thoroughly confused right now.

"I'll explain it later." Jessie said, dismissively.

"Where are you from that they didn't trick or treat?" Mike asked, with a scoff.

Jessie saw Elphaba start to panic. "Her dad was a minister. You know, one of those fire and brimstone, Halloween is the devil ministers." Jessie said.

Mike shook his head slowly, "Now that's not right. It's OK, Elphaba, we're going to have your first Halloween here." Mike promised, before going to help Marcus set up.

"Thanks, Jess." Elphaba whispered, after Mike was out of earshot.

"No problem. I should've warned you." Jessie said, putting her arm around Elphaba.

"It might have helped." She agreed.

"Well, little kids get dressed up in costume, and go around house to house asking for candy. It's a lot of fun, usually. Marcus and I set it up for the kids to walk through and get their candy. Rick plays Dracula, and pops out of the coffin. Marcus plays the mad scentist, and is working on an experiment for the kids. I play the crazy lady. Mike plays an ax murderer, and we hire some of the older teenagers in the neighborhood to roam around the rooms or whatever they feel like doing."

"That sounds absolutely grizzly." Elphaba said, shaking her head.

"Ah, it's all in fun. We charge five dollars or three cans of food to come in, and we match donations, so the food bank and shelters get a little boost for Thanksgiving and Christmas." Jessie said with a smile.

"What are those?" Elphaba asked, a little confused.

"Holidays. You've never heard of them?" Honestly Jessie was surprised that Oz didn't have holidays that were at least similar.

"No, but I can find out. The IWMMA called yesterday. They want your next title defense to be in March. Then they want you to do a PR tour in Hawaii." Elphaba said casually.

"The PR tour sounds like fun. A little surfing, a little tanning." Jessie said, grinning at the thought, "I've always wanted to go to Hawaii."

"The only problem is, it's in the same week as your family reunion." Elphaba said, watching Jessie's face fall.

"I really would rather not. Tell them to reschedule, if they can." She would rather be ANYWHERE else than Hawaii during her family reunion.

"Jess, you can't just avoid them your entire life." Elphie said softly.

"Why not? It's worked so far." Jessie said, before going to help Marcus set up.

Elphaba had a lousy family herself, but Jessie seemed to really dread being around hers. Shaking that off, she went into the office. If there were important holidays Elphaba needed to know them to fit into her new persona. She would do what she had always done, study. Signing onto the computer she began searching for study materials. It was a few hours later that she heard a knock on the door. Looking up she smiled when she saw Jessie.

"Hey, come on! I need your opinion on something." Jessie said, getting a smile. Elphaba followed Jessie out and down to the main floor of the dojo. Jessie led her on a tour of the makeshift haunted house. Elphaba chuckled softly, it wasn't quite as scary as she had originally thought. Although some of it did look gruesome. The middle room in particular was made to look like a torture chamber with a skeleton on the wall, and a rack in the middle of the room. Jessie looked back and saw a distant look in Elphie's eyes.

"Come on, this one's a little less." Jessie said, showing her the gravestones made with styrofoam.

Marcus was painting names on the different stones. "Elphaba, do you want a headstone?" Marcus asked, looking back at her.

"No, thank you." Elphaba said, shaking her head. This was far too macabre for her tastes.

"Oh, come on, Elphaba! It's fun. Jessie's got one, Mike's got one..." Marcus was trying to casually get her to agree to one.

"I don't want one, but thank you." Elphaba insisted.

"Your choice." Marcus said, as Jessie led her off.

"BOO!" Rick yelled, jumping around the corner dressed like a burnt man with a sweater and a glove of blades. Unfortunately, he had actually scared Elphaba, and gotten kicked in the groin for his efforts before she thought about it.

Jessie laughed. "You OK, Rick?" She asked, seeing Elphaba looking mortified.

"I'm wearing…ah…a cup tonight." Rick said, still not getting up.

"I'm sorry, Rick." Elphaba said, as Jessie helped the poor man up.

"I'm fine. Sorry I scared you that much." Rick said, limping off.

"Something tells me he won't try it again." Jessie said, laughing, as they exited the little haunted house.

"ELPHABA! I found it!" Mike said, excitedly.

"Found what?" Elphaba asked, curiously.

"You costume! It's perfect!" Mike said, handing her a bag. She opened it, finding a 'Wicked Witch of the West costume. Jessie snatched it away, throwing it at him, "What's your problem, Jess."

"You think you're funny? You think you're funny, asshole?" Jessie asked, getting in his face.

Elphaba placed her hand on Jessie's shoulder. "Jessie, it's OK."

"Back off, Jess. Damn." Mike said, backing up with his hands raised. He had learned when Jessie was angry, it was the best option, although he was confused why she was so upset by that. Elphaba stepped between her and Mike, to Mike's relief, "I just thought, with the tattoo, it was a perfect choice. Sorry, Jess." He said, truthfully.

"Jessie, it's OK, really. He's right, it would be an ideal costume." Elphaba said, hoping to calm Jessie down.

"You like it?" Jessie asked, a little shocked by that.

"Why not? It's just for fun, right? I'll go try it on. Mike...you two kiss and make up while I'm gone." Elphaba said with a wink before taking the bag with her up to the apartment.

"I'm sorry, dude." Jessie said, getting a nod.

"Don't worry about it. I should've known you'd be touchy about your girlfriend." Mike said, going back inside to help Marcus. Jessie shook her head. She had been touchy lately anyway, but she really felt bad about this. Ten minutes later, Elphaba walked out in what she had originally been wearing.

Mike looked a bit sad, "You didn't like it?"

Elphaba smiled softly, "It was a bit tight. I think I have something up in the apartment that will work though."

Mike smiled brightly at that, "So you liked it? I'm glad to hear that."

Elphaba smiled, "I did like it, thank you Mike."

Marcus walked over, "Elphaba, would you like to be our Hostess this year?"

"Hostess?" Elphaba asked, confused.

"Yeah, you collect the money or canned goods, and let them in the door." He said with a smile.

"I can do that." Elphaba said, smiling brightly.

"Good! We open at six." Marcus said before walking back in to do the final touches.

Elphaba smiled at Jessie, "I'm going upstairs to change, I'll be back down in a bit."

When five thirty rolled around, Elphaba came down from their loft. She was wearing a very long, form fitting black dress that covered almost her entire body, except her hands and face. However, there was still an unusual sex appeal in how the dress hugged her body. There seemed to be multiple colors imbeded into the black fabric that made the dress look...stunning on her. To top it all off she was wearing a pointy black hat and had an old gnarled broom in her hand. Jessie was being strapped into a fairly real looking straightjacket when she saw Elphaba.

"Holy ….." Jessie looked at her, floored.

"You like it?" Elphaba asked, most of the time this particular dress invoked fear.

"I love it." Jessie said, her voice distant, as Mike and Rick laughed.

"That's why you're thinking about peeling it off her." Mike said, after he was sure the straps were secure, getting a blush out of both of them.

"These straps come off in a couple of hours, remember that." Jessie said, getting a laugh from the boys.

Elphaba smirked, "You better make sure those straps are secure. She almost tore down a MMA cage remember?"

Mike and Rick were satisfied with the security of the straps on Jessie's jacket before walking off to set up in their sections. Elphaba walked up to Jessie with an absolutely wicked smirk on her face. She gave Jessie a kiss on the cheek before whispering in her ear, "Perhaps you should leave the jacket on _all_ night Jess."


	18. Chapter 18

Elphaba scoffed at the sheer amount of food Jessie had bought. She had called the manager of the neighborhood grocery store, and made the order to be picked up today. Elphaba was told by the manager that Jessie did this every single year, and assured her that the order would be ready for pick up on schedule. Elphaba stood next to Jessie as the waited for Mike to get back with the truck. Jessie had a wide smile on her face as she watched the refrigerated U-haul pull up.

"Jessie, the grand total was twenty nine thousand two hundred and seventy two dollars and sixty five cents." Elphaba said.

"Good!" Jessie said excitedly.

Mike hopped out of the truck, "Rick and I bought fifty boxes, too." He said, with a wink.

"Awesome! You guys are going to stick around to help this time, right?" Jessie asked.

"Of course!" Mike said with a grin.

"Good, because I'm going to have to deliever all these. Don't forget to go by Christine's Bakery to get the pies." Jessie said, as Elphaba climbed into the passanger seat of the truck. Jessie slid in behind the wheel.

"I won't. You want me to round it off to twenty thousand?" Mike asked.

"Yeah, that's fine. Leave them a two thousand dollar tip, too. Christine said it takes ten of them to fill that order." Jessie said.

"Will do." Mike said, as Jessie started up the truck and drove off.

"You do this every year?" Elphaba asked.

Jessie nodded, "Every single year."

Jessie's gring widened as they pulled to the delivery dock of the store. Six pallets of raw turkeys and six pallets of thanksgiving supplies were loaded onto the truck. An hour and a half later, they were ready to head back to the dojo. Once they pulled up, they saw Mike and Rick waiting with a smaller U-haul filled with pecan pies. Jessie got out, meeting them on the sidewalk.

"OK, guys, how many boxes do you need?" Jessie asked, curiously.

"I need twenty for my building." Rick answered.

"Twenty five for mine." Mike said.

"OK, and we need fifty for the building next door." Jessie said, going inside.

"Can I help?" Elphaba asked.

"Yeah, start setting up boxes." Jessie said.

"I love doing this!" Mike said, excitedly.

"Me, too. These guys support us all year, it's nice to be able to give back." Jessie said, smiling as Marcus and K came in.

"Ah, the thanksgiving bail out." Marcus said, smiling.

"Yeap yeap." Jessie said, grinning, as they set up the last of the boxes.

Forming an assembly line, they had all the boxes filled with supplies for a thanksgiving dinner with all the trimmings in a matter of hours. K and Jessie began delivering to the two surrounding buildings. Mike and Rick took their boxes to their buildings leaving Marcus and Elphaba at the dojo.

"Jessie loves this, doesn't she?" Elphaba said, smiling.

"Yeah, she does. I do, too. It's a great way to say thank you to the neighborhood." Marcus said, smiling brightly.

"Her generosity never ceases to amaze me." Elphaba said.

"Oh, this is nothing. Wait until you see what she does for Christmas." Marcus said.

Elphaba raised an eyebrow at that. "Really?"

"Let me put it this way, her savings is normally depleted when she's done with the holidays." Marcus said.

Elphaba inhaled sharply. "That's a lot of money."

"It's what she loves to do. I think she honestly doesn't care about the money. She lives for the smiles on people's faces." Marcus said, honestly.

Truth was, that generosity and heart were two things Elphaba loved about Jessie. Jessie came back an hour later, grinning from ear to ear. She found Marcus and Elphie in the office.

"I'm going to take the supplies to the boys and girls clubs and the shelters." Jessie stated.

"Mind if I come?" Elphaba asked.

"You know you're always welcome." Jessie said, getting a bright smile from Elphaba. They dropped off the supplies at the shelter and recieved a barrage of thank yous. Jessie did her best to deflect as many of them as possible.

"We can expect you to help cook and serve as usual, right, Jess?" The manager of the shelter asked.

"Of course. First thing Thursday morning." Jessie said.

The manager handed her a key. "Let yourself in. The alarm code is twenty twenty two. I know you will be here first thing in the morning."

"Thanks for the trust." Jessie said, before getting back into the truck with Elphaba.

Elphaba watched Jessie drive with a wide smile. The truck, completely filled hours before was now empty. Jessie truly looked like she was the happiest person in the world right now. Elphaba couldn't help but feel even closer to her.

()

Elphaba wasn't surprised to not see Jessie thanksgiving morning when she woke up. Elphaba knew exactly where she was, at the shelter cooking Thanksgiving dinner. Elphaba got up, and made herself a pot of coffee. She saw their turkey sitting on the counter thawing. Sipping her first cup, an idea dawned on her. Elphaba's smile widened, as she went to the internet.

()

Jessie had everything ready, with the help of Tyrone's mom and her crew from the restaurant, when they were ready to serve at noon. Jessie helped them serve over two thousand meals before they were done. Thomas, the manager of the shelter, was estatic.

"We didn't have to turn anyone away this year." He said, excitedly.

"That's awesome! There's enough here that you can probably serve dinner too." Jessie said.

The manager pulled her into a tight bear hug, "Your donation was incredible, Jess. Thank you so much."

"That was Raimes Martial Arts Studio, I just delivered it." Jessie said.

He chuckled softly, "Yeah, sure. Well, thank Marcus profusely for me."

"Will do. " Jessie said, getting her jacket from the back. She hated taking credit for anything, that was why she always put the credit to the dojo. This also really promoted the dojo in the neighborhood, a win win in her eyes.

()

When Jessie walked into the dojo, she could smell the wonderful aromas of food from downstairs. She quirked an eyebrow as she headed up the stairs. When she walked in, Marcus, Rick, and Mike were watching football on her couch.

"Welcome home." Elphaba called out from the kitchen.

"JESS! Come on, the Saints are playing!" Marcus said.

"I'll be there in a minute. I need to get out of these clothes and into a shower. I smell like turkey and trimmings." Jessie said, chuckling. She went to the bathroom, getting undressed. Jessie took a quick shower. She put on a fresh pair of sweats and a t-shirt before came back out. She found Elphaba in the living room, and Mike trying to teach her about football.

"So, they have to score one more time to win?" Elphaba asked.

"Yeap." Mike said, as Jessie slipped in behind Elphaba.

"Did you do this?" Jessie asked.

"I thought I would surprise you. It's OK, right?" Elphaba asked, softly.

"It's more than OK. It's perfect, my angel." Jessie said, kissing her on the head. Mike smiled, but didn't dare say a word. He knew bliss when he saw it, the last thing he wanted to do was say something that would get him punched.

The Thanksgiving dinner turned out perfectly, not that Jessie hadn't expected exactly that. In fact, it was decided among the boys that Elphaba had the best thanksgiving turkey they had ever eaten, and she got drafted for Turkey duty from then on.

()

Jessie woke up bright and early Christmas Eve. This was, by far, the busiest day of the year for her, and her overall favorite. There was no schedule, and no one knew where she went or what she did. At least, no one at the dojo. Jessie quickly got dressed, and made her way to her bike. She rode it to the local bus rental place. Her regular driver took over from there.

The first stop was the battered women's shelter, where fifteen woman and twenty kids got on. The second stop was the homeless shelter, where another twenty kids got on. Jessie volunteered there so much, no one minded their kids going on an excursion for the day. Her last stop was to pick up the thirty kids from her martial arts class in front of the dojo. After taking a head count, she grabbed the microphone.

"OK, guys! Here's the game plan! We're doing Pizza first, and then we're going to the Toy Store, and then we're going for ice cream!" Jessie said, getting cheers and woots from the kids and moms.

Jessie smiled genuinely, before turning the music up on the bus, and watched the kids dance and sing along with it. She truly looked like she was in heaven, because it was pretty damn close to it for her. The kids did whatever they wanted to do, got whatever they wanted, and she picked up the bill the day after Christmas. It just didn't get better than that for her.

All the kids unloaded at the first stop, the owner shutting down his pizzaria and indoor playground just for them. Jessie played with the kids for a while until the pizzas were ready. She helped the employees bring it out.

"Hey, Jess." Elphaba said.

Jessie turned around, shocked to see Elphaba. She smiled, hugging her tightly. "Hey, baby. How did you find me?"

"I have my ways." Elphie said, winking.

"I'm glad you're here!" Jessie said excitedly.

"Hey, Jess, can we eat now?" One of the kids asked.

"Absolutly!" Jessie said, excitedly. Everyone helped themselves to pizza, as Jessie made Elphie a plate with Pizza and salad, and got her a drink, "Seriously, Elphie. How did you find me?" Jessie asked.

Elphaba chuckled softly, "Marcus told me you do this every year."

"Really? He pays that much attention." Jessie was blown away. He'd never said anything, and niether did the guys.

"Oh, yeah. Him, Mike, and Rick know exactly what you're doing." Elphie said, getting a head shake.

"Why didn't they ever say anything?" Jessie asked.

"It makes you happy, Jess. They didn't want to take it away from you." Elphie said as she finished off her salad.

"Remind me to thank them later." Jessie said, sliding her arm around Elphie.

"Come on, Jess!" One of the kids said, dragging Jessie away.

Elphaba felt privileged to see a sight she rarely saw. Her girlfriend be completely uninhibited. Jessie played with the kids for a little better than two hours, happier than Elphaba had ever seen her. When she finally took a break, it was to boos from the kids, but they kept playing. Winded, Jessie sat down with a piece of pizza and a soda.

"Damn, that's fun." Jessie said, breathless.

"Looks like it." Elphaba said, smiling at her, "You love this, don't you?" Elphaba asked, curiously.

"This is my favorite thing I do all year." Jessie said, grinning from ear to ear.

"That I can believe." Elphaba said, happily. Jessie cell phone rang. Looking at the caller ID, she sent it to voicemail. "Who is it?"

"My sister, Jan. Look, I really don't want my day fucked up by these people." Jessie said, as her phone rang again.

"Here, let me." Elphaba said, smirking. Jessie passed the phone over to her, "Hello, Jessie Reynolds phone, how may I help you?"

"Is two ton there?" Jan asked.

"No, Jessie's a little busy at the moment. How can I help you?" Elphaba asked, nicely.

"You can tell her mom said to call. Apparently she wants to know the real story between you and Jessie. Is this a publicity stunt, or something?" She said a bit irritated.

"Not at all. Your sister and I are dating." Elphaba said, seeing the reaction on Jessie's face.

"I see. You know, it's none of my business, Elphaba. Can I call you Elphaba?" Jan asked.

"I would prefer you did." Elphaba wondered what angle the sister would try.

"Elphaba, two ton is an odd case. One minute she's fine, the next minute she's flying off the handle. Has she hit you yet?" Jan almost sounded genuinely concerned.

"No, and I don't believe that will be an issue." Elphaba said.

Jan sighed into the phone, "That's what her ex girlfriend said, too. Until old two ton beat her nearly to death."

"Who is this two ton you keep speaking of?" Elphaba asked, getting an eye roll from Jessie.

"Jessie, you know who I mean." Jan's tone began to sound irritated again.

"I see. So if she beat this woman half to death, like you say, where's the arrest record." Elphaba asked.

There is a long pause before Jan responds. "What?"

"Most people who do that go to jail. Where's her arrest record?" Elphaba said, as Jessie stared at her wide eyed.

"Well, mom and dad talked to some people. We managed to keep it hush hush." Jan sounded a bit confused by the turn the conversation took.

"You don't say." Elphaba said, resisting the urge to laugh out loud. She could tell that Jan was trying to find a foothold on something to say to upset her.

"Yeah. Just like that sex change operation she had when she was twenty." Jan said.

"A sex change operation? How did she afford that? She was homeless, wasn't she?" Elphaba asked. Jessie's expression grew even more confused. Elphaba waved her off with a smirk.

"Probobly prostituted for the money, but she definatly had it. Luckily Jessie was a unisex name." Jan said with a sneer.

"Yes, quite lucky. You're her sister, right?" Elphaba asked.

"Yeah, that's me." Jan said.

"I understand you're a schoolteacher?" Elphaba held up her hand when Jessie tried to ask a question.

"I'm principal, actually." The pride of that title was evident in Jan's voice.

"You missed your calling. You should have been a fiction author." Elphaba said, she was honestly surprised at how petty Jessie's family was if they thought these pathetic scare tactics would push her away from Jessie.

"I'm just trying to warn you before you get hurt." Jan said, irritated with Elphaba's statements.

"You mean you're trying to get me out of the picture before I hurt you and Lukie's little plans to siphon all of your sisters hard earned money out of her accounts and into yours." There was a slight edge to Elphaba's voice.

Jan doesn't say anything for a few moments. Her tone is very harsh when she finally is able to speak again. "Be careful, Elphaba. That's all I'm saying."

"I see. Well, if story time is over, please excuse me. I keep getting these weird prank calls. I may have to change to Jessie's number." Elphaba said, hanging up before Jan could say anything else.

"What did that woman say?" Jessie asked.

"Nothing important. In fact, I believe she dialed a wrong number." Elphaba said.

"Shit." Jessie said, shaking her head.

"Oh no you don't Jessie. You're having fun, and these people are NOT going to ruin it. I'll take care of this from now on." Elphaba said firmly.

"Elphie…." Jessie pleaded.

"Trust me, Jess." Elphaba said, squeezing her hand.

Jessie nodded, as one of the kids came over. "Miss Reynolds, can we go to the toy store now?"

"Of course! Hey, guys! You ready?" Jessie asked, getting a nearly unanimous yes, "OK, everybody grab some pizza for the road to take home, and thank Mr. Pascolli on your way out!" Jessie said, watching the kids do just that. All the kids said thank you to the crew and Mr. Pascolli. Before Jessie left, she pulled him over to the side, "Thanks again."

"Don't worry about it, Jess. It's nice to see the kids so happy." He said.

"Just total up my bill and I'll pay it off the day after Christmas." Jessie said.

He looked at her confused. "Your assistant took care of it yesterday. Left a six thousand dollar deposit. In fact, I'm sure I'll have change left for you."

"If you do, divide it amongst the crew. You guys take such good care of us every year. Thank you." Jessie said, hugging him.

"Thank you. Those kids bring their parents." Pascalli said, letting her go.

"See you next week." Jessie said, walking out on Elphaba's arm. Once they were outside, Jessie pulled Elphaba off to the side of the bus. "Have I told you recently how amazing you are?"

Elphaba blushed lightly before nodding her head, "Yes."

One of the older kids from the dojo group sticks his head out the window and calls out, "Kiss her already so we can go to the toy store." He has a wide grin on his face before ducking back into the bus.

()

Elphaba wasn't all that surprised when Jessie slept in. After dropping off fifty or so very happy kids she had gone to volunteer at the children's hospital. Jessie had gotted dressed as Santa, and delivered gifts to every single kid in the hospital. Elphie joining her as Mrs. Claus after some persuasion. Then Elphaba went to bed, leaving Jessie up watching TV. It was what she saw in the living room that absolutely floored her. Under their tree was twenty or thirty gifts that weren't there last night. Elphaba smiled when she saw that most of them had To Elphie from Santa on the tags. She laughed, wondering where Jessie had hid all of them and how long they had been hidden.

()

Jessie, for once, didn't move a muscle. Even the smell of breakfast and the arrival of Mike, Rick, and Marcus didn't wake her up. It took a soft kiss from Elphaba to finally get her to stir and open her eyes.

"What time is it, baby?" Jessie said as she stretched slowly.

"Ten thirty." Elphaba said.

"Wow, why didn't you wake me?" Jessie asked, confused.

"You rarely sleep in. By the way, are all of those gifts for me?" Elphaba asked.

Jessie shrugged, "I don't know. Santa doesn't really give me his delivery schedule." Jessie said, getting up. She got dressed quickly before smiling in the mirror and heading back out to the living room.

"OK, guys! Gift exchange time!" Mike said, handing Elphie a brightly wrapped package, "I drew your name." He explained. She opened it, and laughed. The package contained DVDs of the Wizard of Oz, The Grinch that Stole Christmas, and Oscar the grouch grouchest moments.

"The green triple feature." Rick said, chuckling.

"See, I told you I shouldn't feel bad about getting him this." Jessie said, handing Mike his gift. It was a wig, cracking the group up.

"Are you trying to say something?" Mike said.

"Yeah, I was trying to activate all that chick magnet hair." Jessie said, laughing harder.

"Fuck you, Jess." Mike said, laughing.

"Here's yours, Jess." Rick said, handing it to her. Jessie's face turned bright red, finding a box of Trojans, "Better to be safe than sorry."

"Unbelievable." Jessie said, laughing.

"Rick, I drew your name." Marcus said, snickering, as he pointed behind the couch. There was a toy plane and a toy car wrapped in a bow, "I wanted to get you the real ones, but money was short this year." Marcus said, laughing.

"Hahaha." Rick said, rolling his eyes. When Elphie stopped laughing, she stood up, and tapped her glass with a fork.

"OK, OK! Marcus, you know you're the leader of our little group. We look to you for guidance and support. In that vein of thinking, we got this for you." Elphaba said, getting up. She and Jessie carried over a large box, dropping it in front of him.

"Guys. You shouldn't have." Marcus said, choked up. He opened it, chuckling, as it revealed a walker, a cane, and a tube of BenGay.

"The Old Geezer Travel Pack!" Mike said, getting flipped off by Marcus.

"I'm not that fucking old, you know." Marcus said.

"Of course not, Marcus. But tell us, what did they use for lotion on Baby Jesus. I mean, you were there and all." Rick said, getting a laugh out of the family.

The ribbing and teasing was all good natured, and they enjoyed the day with one another. When Jessie's cell phone went off, she was tempted not to answer it, but Elphaba grabbed it before she had a chance to send it to voicemail.

"Hello? Yes, she is. Yeah, Marcus is here, too. Sure, we'll be right down." Elphaba said, hanging up.

"Who was that?" Jessie asked, curiously.

"That was Josey. She said meet her downstairs." Elphaba said, with a shrug. Jessie led the charge down the stairs, absolutely blown away at what she saw. All the kids and parents she had helped were in the dojo. Before Jessie could say anything, Josey stepped forward, and led the kids in Hark the Harold Angels Sing. Marcus and Elphie took either side of her, as Mike and Rick stepped out to join the parents. They sang four more Christmas Carols, to Jessie's delight.

"One, Two, Three!" Josey counted off.

"THANK YOU MISS REYNOLDS!" All of the kids shouted, bringing Jessie to tears.

"I love you guys." Jessie said, stepping into all of them, and finding herself in the middle of a group hug.

Marcus looked at Elphaba who was in tears from the beautiful scene in front of her.


	19. Chapter 19

Elphaba smiled, as she hung up the cheesy lettering and banner. She didn't see the big deal in a new year, not even after doing research about the holiday. Well, she didn't see the point in throwing a large party for it at the very least. However, here she was decorating decorating and making appitizers. With the banner done, she checked the two bottles of champagne in the refrigerator and made sure the four glasses were clean. After that, she sat in the living room and turned on the TV. Jessie hadn't been around all day, not that Elphaba expected her to be lounging around. She knew Jessie was up to something, but figured it was OK she did have Josey with her after all.

"Nice job in here, Elphaba." Marcus said from behind her, startling her.

"Can you knock?" She asked, a bit irritated that he had startled her.

Marcus knocked on the counter, getting a smirk. "Sorry, I was looking for Jess."

"I think her and Josey are out after Christmas shopping. Josey says it's always good to wait until new years eve to weed out the suckers." She said.

"She got Jessie to shop? That's a miracle in and of itself." Marcus said, chuckling more.

"She should be back later." Elphaba said.

"I wanted to let her know her next fight date. It's going to be March 20th in Aspen." Marcus said.

"Nice." Elphaba said.

"Nice isn't the first word that jumps to mind. The altitude difference means we have to leave tomorrow for Aspen. It's useless to train here. Jessie has to get accustomed to breathing and moving at the high altitude." He said.

"So you want me to start looking for a place up there?" Elphaba asked.

Marcus sat down on the couch. "No, we've already got a place up there. Jessie bought a small cabin in the mountains a few years ago. We only use it when we're training for a fight in high altitude. Plus, she likes the seclusion. I wanted to warn you that we may be gone for a while."

"I'll start packing right away." Elphaba said.

"Are you sure, Elphie? This cabin isn't exactly the lap of luxury. It's got TV, running water, and electricity. That's about it, and the nearest neighbor is ten miles away. The city is about twenty minutes away. Not much up there." He sounded a bit sad that they would be so isolated.

"Jessie will be, and that's all that matters to me." Elphaba said, emphatically. Honestly, it sounded like a great idea to Elphie. Being in the limelight so much really wore her out, a few weeks away from all of the cameras and interviews would be nice.

"OK, but don't say I didn't warn you." Marcus said, hearing the phone ring.

"I won't." She said, picking up the reciever. Seeing Lucas' number, she rolled her eyes before silencing the ring, and letting the machine get itl.

"Brother or sister?" Marcus asked, knowingly.

"Brother." Elphaba said.

"Hi, this is Jess and Elphie. Leave a message at the tone." The beep was heard, before a sigh.

"Two ton, this is Lucas. Your cell doesn't seem to be working. I was notified there were four extra rooms booked. I asked you before, now I'm telling you. You are not invited, especially not with your so called friends. Don't even think about embarrassing mom like that. Keep your fat ass away from us."The slam of the phone was heard loud and clear, as Marcus looked at Elphaba.

"Sounds like he's not happy." He said.

"Nope, he's not. He's not going to be any happier when I change the house number, too." Elphaba said, getting a laugh, "You've known her longer. Are they always like this?"

"Pretty much. Mom and Dad I've never met. They don't call at all. They wouldn't even answer the phone when I called to tell them their daughter was laid up in the hospital. Her brother's only response was he wasn't paying for it. The sister is worse. She actually asked me Jessie who, and told me I had the wrong number." Marcus sighed deeply, he honestly didn't understand how people could be so cruel to their own family.

"Sounds like a charming family." Elphaba said, rolling her eyes.

"Oh, yeah, very charming. Jessie won't talk about them at all. It took hacking her computer to even get their numbers. The only one that called to check on her was her cousin, Pat. Once she woke up, even Pat stopped calling. When the money started rolling in, they started contacting her once a year for the family vacation. Because she owed them something for putting up with her for all of these years." Marcus said, shaking his head.

"Why does she do this?" Elphaba asked, confused.

"Honestly, I wish I knew. I guess she thinks if she does enough, maybe they'll care about her. Poor kid's fighting a loosing battle. I honestly suspect no one in that family would care if she had died in that coma." He said sadly.

"Well, she doesn't need their crap." Elphaba said, deleting the message.

"She is not going to be happy with you when she finds out she's going anyway." Marcus said.

"For a little better than a fifth of a million dollars total, she's going to get something out of it." Elphaba said, getting a nod of agreement.

()

There were certain places where Jessie felt completely out of place. A jewelry store was definitely one of them. "You really think she's going to like this?" Jessie asked, nervously.

"I think she's going to love it." Josey said, smiling brightly.

"I hope you're right." Jessie said, as the associate handed her a small box.

"It is an excellent choice ma'am." She said, handing Jessie her receipt.

"Thank you, ma'am." Jessie said, excitedly, as Josey collected the receipt.

"If she doesn't, I'll take them off your hands." Josey said, grinning, getting a laugh and an arm draped over her shoulder.

()

Jessie came in after dropping Josey off at her mom's, catching Mike and Rick ending their classes. She loved the look of shock and awe on their faces, when she showed them what was in the box.

"Jessie, those are beautiful." Mike said.

"Thanks. Think Elphie will like them?" Jessie asked.

"I don't see how she wouldn't. How much did that run?" Rick asked.

"A little better than six grand." She answered, grinning.

"It was well worth it." Rick said, whistling. Seeing Elphaba coming, a curious look on her face, Jessie slid the box back into her jacket pocket.

"What's going on?" Elphaba asked, walking over.

"Nothing." They answered in unison.

Elphaba raised her eyebrow, "Uh huh." She said, looking at Jessie.

"No, really. We were discussing what movie they were bringing for Movie Night next week." Jessie said, trying to maintain eye contact.

"Yeah, we found a martial arts movie Jessie would like." Rick said, sincerely.

"Well, we might have to cancel it. Jess, your next fight has been set." Elphaba said.

"Awesome! Who am I fighting?" Jessie asked.

"Kelly 'The Machine' Walsh. It's going to be in Aspen on March 20th." Elphaba said.

"Guess we're heading to the cabin, boys." Jessie said, grinning.

()

The party was a tame affair. The boys had a few glasses of champagne, and Elphaba and Jessie had two glasses themselves. Jessie's arm seemed to be surgically attached to Elphaba. As midnight drew closer, she managed to get Elphaba out on the balcony.

"So, this is your first new years, huh?" Jessie asked.

"Yes, first one." She said, nodding.

"Then, as your girlfriend, I am obligated to make it one you will never forget." Jessie said, getting the jewelry box from her pocket.

"Oh, Jess, you shouldn't…." All protests were silenced, when Jessie cracked open the box. Elphaba stared in wide eyed shock. Inside the box were a pair of earrings, each a teardrop emerald surrounded by diamonds, "Oh, sweet Oz." Elphie breathed.

"You like it?" Jessie whispered.

"Jessie, it's too much. You got me clothes, a PDA, a new computer, and a smart phone for Christmas, and now this? It's too much, Jessie." Elphaba said, in disbelief.

"I just…I want you to be happy. To have the best of everything." Jessie said, looking down.

Elphaba lifted up her chin gently. "I am happy. I already have the best. I have you. You don't have to buy me the world, Jessie. I couldn't care for you any more than I do now." Elphaba said, brushing a few tears off Jessie's cheek.

"I saw them in the window, and instantly thought of you." Jessie said, her voice cracking. Had she really been trying to buy Elphaba's affection?

"They are stunning, Jessie. And I appreciate you thinking of me all the time. I just want you to understand that all of this, even those earrings, couldn't hold a candle to how much you mean to me. Just being with you here makes this special." Elphaba said, the truth of her words evident in her eyes.

"Ten, nine, eight…." They heard the guys from inside, "Five, four, three, two…." Before she heard one, Jessie locked Elphaba into a deep kiss. Neither seemed to notice the fireworks filling the sky behind them.

However, Marcus saw both the fireworks in the sky and on the balcony as they new year began. He motioned to Rick and Mike, who smiled, watching the two lovers. Looking back at each other, the three decided to leave.

()

The final press conference was over, the day before valentine's day. They had signed the contracts, and posed for pictures for the press. Jessie looked even more ripped than usual. Since getting to Aspen, she had been running in the snow, chopping wood, rock climbing, and basically anything Marcus thought would help her learn to move and fight in the altitude. She did her normal routine on top of that. At the moment she looked close to burnout, something that Marcus had noticed. It was normal for Jessie to get like this before a big fight, and he hoped Elphaba being there was grounding her a bit. Jessie never really lacked focus, but she did lack perspective something Elphaba provided in abundance. Marcus just had to keep Jessie focused for another twenty days.

"Good luck, Machine." Jessie said, extending her hand.

Machine, a ripped blonde, smiled before shaking it. "You, too, Blade. Always a good fight when we lock up." She said, patting her on the shoulder. Both smiled, holding the handshake for the cameras. When it was over they went to the back.

"Kelly, I want you to meet someone," Jessie said, leading her over to Elphaba, "Kelly, this is my girlfriend, Elphaba. Elphaba, this is Kelly "The Machine" Walsh." Jessie said.

"It's a pleasure." Elphaba said.

Kelly shook her hand, "You too. It's nice to see Jess happy for a switch." Kelly said, winking at Jess.

"I'm always happy." Jessie protested.

"Not like this. You didn't even growl at the reporters. I thought they found a stand in." Kelly said, laughing.

"I'm not that bad, am I?" Jessie said, chuckling.

"Yeah, but that's why we love you. You'll tell them what you think, even if it's not popular. Keeps them in check." Kelly said.

"Kelly, come on! We've got a flight to catch." One of her trainers called.

"See you next month Jess. Elphaba, it was a pleasure." Kelly said, before heading out.

Elphaba and Jessie followed suit, heading to the pickup truck. "She seems nice." Elphaba said.

"She is, and she is an incredible fighter." Jessie said, opening the door so Elphaba could get in first.

"I don't know why, I was expecting you two to hate each other." Elphaba said.

"Never. The IWMMA is about competition. When we meet in the ring, it's all business, but we don't have any problems with each other outside of the ring." Jessie said, truthfully. The only personal fight she had was with Maria, and really didn't care for that. They were still talking about Kelly, as they drove off towards the cabins.

()

Marcus found Jessie where he expected her to be, in the TV room watching fight tape. Jessie had a look of complete concentration on her face, as she watched the tape of her first professional fight against the Machine.

"You don't need to go that far back, Jess." Marcus said, sitting on the couch next to her.

"Yeah, I do. Watch this." Jessie rewound the video to one of the times Kelly had her locked in the ground and pound.

"Jessie, you've gotten a lot better." Marcus said.

"I know. But I'm starting to loose focus. If I loose focus, like that kid did," She points to herself, "Then I'm gonna be right back there on my back."

"So don't loose focus." Marcus said, as though it were obvious.

"It's not that easy. Especially right now. I need a break, Marcus. My body is telling me I need a break." Jessie said.

"You know the rules, Jessie. No breaks. Do you think Kelly is taking a break?" Marcus said.

"I think she will be tomorrow. It's Valentine's day, Marcus. I've been training for forty three days straight. I'm taking tomorrow off, and I'm spending it with Elphaba." Jessie stated.

"Jessie, it's business. You know that. You can't do that." Marcus felt like this was a losing battle already, but he really didn't think Jessie could afford the time off.

"The hell I can't." Jessie said, matter of factly.

"You can't. Do you want to end up like that kid?" Marcus said as he pointed at the tape.

"One day, Marcus. One fucking day. I've never had a girlfriend before. I want to spend valentine's day with my girlfriend." Jessie said through her teeth.

"Jessie, there's time for the lovey dubby crap after the fight. Right now, you need to focus hard on the fight." Marcus voice was starting to rise as his anger built up within him.

"Fuck you, Marcus. I've ignored her since we've been here. I'm not doing it tomorrow." Jessie said, storming out.

()

Elphaba had heard the yelling from their bedroom. Tightening her robe, she went downstairs, just in time to see the door to the cabin slam as Jessie left. She walked to the TV room, finding Marcus shaking his head.

"Everything OK down here?" Elphaba asked, already knowing the answer.

"It's fine, Elphie. She's just in a mood. Must be her time of the month, or something." Marcus said, having no intention of telling her what it was really about.

Elphaba didn't buy it for a second, but she knew pushing wasn't going to help. "What am I watching?" She asked, motioning to the TV screen.

"Jessie's first fight." He said, motioning for her to sit down. He rewound it to the beginning. For the next half hour, Elphaba groaned and flinched at every blow Kelly landed mercilessly on Jess. It was a far cry from the fighter she knew. By the end of the one sided match, Jessie had to be carried out of the ring. Elphaba was amazed to see that she was still trying to fight.

"Damn." Elphaba said, shaking her head.

"Yeah. She didn't speak to me for a week for throwing in the towel. The IWMMA signed her at the hospital that night, and Kelly came to the ER to shake her hand. They've been friends ever since." Marcus said.

"She got hurt bad?" Elphaba asked, somewhat nervously.

"Her orbital bone was broken. Four cracked ribs, broken nose, fractured jaw, and a ruptured eardrum. You know what her first words were when she woke up in the ambulance?" Marcus asked.

"Did I win?" They both turned, to see Jessie, a bottle of sports drink in her hand.

"You cool down?" Marcus asked.

Jessie shook her head, "Not a fucking chance. I meant it, Marcus."

"Meant what?" Elphaba asked.

"Nothing, baby. Don't worry about it. Don't make any plans for tomorrow either. It's just you and me." Jessie stated.

"Jessie, the fight is next month. Are you sure you can afford a day off?" Elphaba asked, worried. The last thing she wanted was a repeat of her first fight.

"Elphie, it's Valentines day. I want to spend it with you." Jessie said.

"And I want to spend it with you, but not if there's even a remote chance that you're going to end up like that first fight." Elphaba said, her concern obvious.

Jessie sighed softly, "Elphie, that was six years ago. I'm a better fighter now than I was then. We're talking about one day. I've been going forty three straight. My body is tired, my mind is tired, and my heart is going to be with you anyway." Jessie said, truthfully, as she pulled Elphie into a hug.

"Baby, we can celebrate later. When you're still the champ." Elphaba said, clinging to her.

"I don't loose, Elphie." Jessie said, kissing her head.

Marcus immediately felt bad for telling Jessie no breaks. Sighing heavily, "OK, Jess. Tell you what. No training, no movies, for two days. Then no bitching when we start again. But you've got to keep up your runs. Your cardio is fundemental."

Jessie grinned wide, "I promise, Marcus. I'll even do ten miles."

Elphaba smirked as she looked from Marcus back to Jessie, "Oh I don't think you will need to run that far Jess. I can think up a few cardio excersices for you that are way more fun than running." Elphaba said, chuckling.

"Of that I have no doubt." Marcus said, shaking his head, "Just remember, we need to train hard. I'm not being a heartless asshole, Jess. I know how much that belt means to you. And I know you're almost burned out. Just make sure you come back ready to get back to work."

"That's a promise. Thanks, Marcus." Jessie said, hugging him, "I'm sorry, man."

"The fact that you're willing to fight for this means it's important. Don't ever apologize for fighting for the woman you love." He whispered the last part.

"Marcus….." Jessie said, choking up.

"Enjoy your two days." Marcus said, patting her shoulder, as he walked out.

()

True to her word, Jessie ran to the end of the five mile driveway and back first thing in the morning. She always tried to do it before the sun came out, just to make it cooler. It didn't help much though, because she was still drenched in sweat and winded when she got back. As she was walking around, cooling down, Elphaba came outside.

"Hey, beautiful! Why aren't you sleeping? You didn't have a nightmare, did you?" Jessie asked, suddenly more worried about Elphie than anything else.

"No, I'm OK. I just woke up in bed alone." She said with a slight pout before handing Jessie a cup of coffee.

Jessie looked at her, the sunrise hitting that emerald skin perfectly, and her smile grew. "Sorry, I try to take care of the runs before the sun comes up and it gets even hotter." She said, kissing Elphaba's cheek. She pulled back, seeing an odd look on Elphie's face, "What's wrong?"

"Jess, you stink. Drink your coffee and take a shower." Elphaba said.

Jessie smirked, "No worse than I smell after one of our more adventurous evenings."

"Yes, but by then, we're both sweaty and stinky, so it doesn't matter." Elphaba said, blushing furiously.

"I'll be right back." Jessie said, going upstairs. She took a quick shower before changing into a fresh pair of sweats. She went to the closet, getting out the box of chocolates she had picked up on their last trip to the store. Going downstairs, she found Elphie in the kitchen making pancakes, "Hey, beautiful. Happy Valentine's day." Jessie said, putting the heart shaped box on the counter.

"Thank you." Elphaba said, taking out the last pancake, before kissing her cheek.

"You're welcome." Jessie said, hugging her tightly. They held each other for a few minutes, before Mike walked in.

"Ohhhh, pancakes!" Mike said, walking past them and getting himself a plate.

"And good morning to you, too, Mikey." She said, watching him make a plate for himself. Pretty soon, Marcus and Rick were over, doing the same thing. When Jessie was done, she got her guitar out of the closet. She sat on the front porch beginning to practice. Jessie stopped when she heard the door open, and Marcus walked out.

"Marcus, I need a favor." Jessie said.

"Sure, Jess. What's up." He asked.

Jessie set the guitar down. "I'm thinking of taking Elphie up to Miracle Bluff tonight. Cooking out for her. Any chance you and Rick and Mike would take some supplies up there for a fire and tent?"

"Good chance. How's the song coming?" He asked, knowing already what she was planning.

"I'm torn between two." She admitted.

"You'll know which one when the time is right." He said, getting a sigh.

"I hope so! I want this to be perfect." Jessie said, quietly.

"Jessie, listen to me. If you sang row row row your boat, she would think it was incredible. Just trust yourself." Marcus said.

"Yes, sir." Jessie said, her hand rubbing the strings of the guitar.

"In fact, I'll take that up with us. It'll be in the cave." Marcus said, taking the guitar out of Jessie's hands.

"But I need to practice….." Jessie complained.

`"No, you don't. You're going to practice your way right out of doing it. Surf and Turf?" Marcus asked.

"Please. Thanks, Marcus." Jessie said, hugging him.

"I'm honored to be asked." He said, rubbing her back.

()

Jessie was surprised that Elphaba was willing to dirt bike halfway up the mountain. She skidded the bike to a halt on a cliff face, as the sun was beginning to set. Elphaba gasped, looking at the view.

"Jessie, it's breathtaking." She breathed.

"I'm glad you like it. We're going to be sleeping up here tonight." Jessie said, not going anywhere near the cliff. She had a major fear of heights. Instead, she began building the fire. Once it got lit, she went into the cave, getting the cooler. The steaks she had ordered were marinated and ready, getting a wide smile out of her. The lobster tails were cracked , preboiled, and ready to be grilled. She made a mental note to thank Marcus, as she got her and Elphaba a drink, and put the grill on the fire.

"Jessie, you've got to look down. The view is amazing." Elphaba said, awestruck.

"No, thanks. I can see it fine from here." Jessie said, going back into the cave. The less time she spent looking down the better. Her short response got Elphie's attention. She went into the cave, and raised an eyebrow. Jessie was pale and sweating.

"Are you OK, Jess?" Elphaba asked, worriedly.

"I'm….I'm fine. I'm just scared of heights." She admitted, sitting down. The room felt like it was spinning, as Jessie closed her eyes.

"Then why did you bring me up here, silly." Elphaba asked with a grin on her face.

"Because I know you love nature, and this is the best view on the property." Jessie said, sipping the drink in her hand.

"Jessie, can anyone see us from here?" Elphaba asked, an idea stirring in her mind.

"Not really. I own a hundred acres." She said, getting a nod.

"Let me take you flying. It'll cure your fear of heights." Elphaba said, softly. Jessie looked at her like she had grown a second head.

"Are you kidding? Elphie, I….I can't." She said, shaking her head.

"Yes, you can. Trust me, I won't let you fall." Elphaba said, looking her in the eyes. Jessie could see how sincere the offer really was.

"Let me think about it, OK?" Jessie said.

"OK." Elphaba said, clearly disappointed. Jessie cringed at that, she saw the moon coming out while the grill was still heating up. She shook her head and cracked a smile, she honestly couldn't believe she was about to do this. "We have about ten or fifteen minutes before that grill's ready, if you're ready to take that flight." Jessie said, hugging her from behind.

"Really?" Elphie asked, excitedly.

"Really." Jessie said, nodding.

Seconds later, Jessie watched wide eyed, as the broom she had from Halloween appeared in Elphie's hands. "Get on and hold on love." Elphaba said, before she thought about it.

Apparently Jessie didn't notice, because she climbed on, as Elphaba blushed deeply. Jessie wrapped her arms around Elphaba, resting her head on Elphie's shoulder. "I trust you completely, my angel." Jessie said, her voice quaking a little, "I love you." Jessie said.

Elphaba felt her heart catch when she heard those words. She didn't move for a moment, but then turned her head slowly. "Thank you Jessie, and..." She almost said those three words but hesitated.

Elphaba eased the broom out of the cave and up into the night sky. She was grateful that the broom didn't require her concentration. In fact, it almost had a mind of it's own, as it zipped into the night sky. Once they were high amongst the clouds, she turned to look at Jessie. "This is why I love flying, the view is breathtaking. Although..." She swallows hard before turning to look into Jessie's eyes. "I've finally found someone I love more than anything else in this world or Oz."

Jessie's heart was already racing from her little slip up of those three little words. The flight up even higher than the mountain did nothing to slow down that heart rate. Elphie's words once they were hovering; however, nearly stopped her heart completely. Did Elphie just say that she loves her back? Could this really be happening? Finally finding her words, "Y-you love me? Truly?"

Elphaba nodded her head slowly before answering, "Yes Jessie, I love you." Elphaba turns so that she is now facing Jessie and pulls her into a gentle kiss.


	20. Chapter 20

AN: Hey guys, thank you so much for continuing to read the story. Sorry for the lengthy chapters, but bear with us. The conclusion of part one will be soon, hope you all enjoy.

"You're live in five, four, three…" The producer said, counting them down silently to one.

"Welcome to the preshow for IWMMA: The St. Pattie's day Massacre. I'm your host Peter Joh. Joining me is Tamara Greene, our field reporter. The main event is shaping up to be the fight of the year. The highly anticipated rematch between Jessica "The Blade" Reynolds and Kelly "The Machine" Walsh." Peter read off of the telepromter.

"It is definatly going to be quite the battle, Peter. The last time these two squared off was six months ago in Las Vegas, and Blade barely eked out a submission victory against the Machine." Tamara said, excitedly.

"Anytime these two meet, it's a fight to the finish. Later on, in the tale of the tape, we'll show you exactly why, but both seem to have a nearly endless amount of endurance and resilience." Peter said.

"That's for certain, Peter. Both looked relaxed and ready at the weigh in earlier today. With Kelly's incredible ground offense and Jessie's seemingly endless submission repertoire, this is shaping up to be the fight of the year." Tamara said.

()

Jessie nervously paced the locker room, going over the game plan in her head. Her fights with Kelly were some of her most difficult. She pounded her fist into her hand, staring blankly into space. She wanted this win, but more than that she wanted to impress Elphaba. Elphaba had never seen her in a real fight. Jessie wanted to show her why she was ranked number one in the IWMMA and fifteenth in the world. A knock on the locker room door broke her thoughts.

"Come in." She said, rolling her shoulders and throwing a few punches.

"You ready?" Elphaba asked.

"As ready as I'm going to be. Wish my fans were here." Jessie said, matter of factly, as she slid off the taping table on her feet.

"Marcus thought you might feel that way." Elphaba said, opening the door.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" Jessie asked, scooping her up in a tight hug, as Elphaba stepped outside, closing the door behind her.

"Getting my ribs broken," She said, laughing, as Jessie let her down, "Glad to see me?"

"I'm always glad to see you, sis." Jessie said, rubbing her head.

"Good...you nervous?" She asked.

"I'm always nervous before a fight." Jessie said.

Josey raised an eyebrow, "Didn't look nervous when you faught Maria."

"I'll let you in on a little secret. I was more nervous with Maria than I was now." Jessie said.

Josey scoffed, "My ass."

"No, really, I was." Jessie said, sitting down on the locker room bench with her.

"Why? You knew you had her beat." Josey asked.

"No, I thought I had her beat. But what I was fighting for was more important that the IWMMA, this belt, or almost anything else. That was about Elphie's honor. I couldn't loose, and it scared me that I might." Jessie admitted.

"What about tonight? You're not just as nervous?" Josey asked.

Jessie answered her with a shrug. "Not really. Kelly and I are evenly matched. I hope I have a good showing, win or loose. Plus, she's pretty cool. If I lost to her, it wouldn't bother me. Not that I'm loosing."

"You better not! I didn't come from California to see my big sis loose." Josey said.

Jessie gave her a hug, "Hey, do me a favor. Tell Marcus you're coming to the ring with me, and ask Elphie to come here a second."

"Getting your good luck kiss, huh?" Josey asked with a smirk.

"You're crazy, and I love you." Jessie said, kissing her head.

"I love you too, sis. See you out there." Josey said, leaving.

Jessie got up, throwing hard punches at air, until Elphaba came in.

"Josey said you wanted to see me." Elphaba said.

Jessie dropped her fists, taking Elphie's hands. "Yeah, I did. Sit down," Elphie looked at Jessie questioningly, but did as she was asked, "Elphie, this is not going to be an easy fight." She said, nervously.

"I know that, Jess. But you're ready." Elphaba said, putting her arm around Jessie.

"No, I know I am. I just….if this gets as brutal as I think it will, please take Josey and come back here. Our last fight, there was almost no winner because we both came close to being counted down. Normally, for the fans at home, that's a great fight. But I know Josey, and I know you. I don't want you two getting as hurt as I am." Jessie said, sure that didn't sound right.

Elphaba nodded her head slowly, "I promise. If it's too ugly, I'll bring her back to the locker room.

"Thank you." Jessie said, breathing a sigh of relief.. She hugged Elphie tightly, kissing her gently, "I'm sorry for what you're about to see." Jessie said.

"Why are you sorry? You're going to do what you always do. Win." Elphaba said, kissing her head.

()

"Now we go to the tale of the tape. Blade, at six foot, has an inch on the five eleven Machine." Peter said.

"The fight isn't determined by height alone however. Machine has an inch reach advantage on Blade. An advantage that she uses well." Tamera reminded him.

"That's true, Tamara. Especially in her ground and pound technique. She nearly knocked Blade out three times last time." Peter said.

"It should be an intresting fight." Tamara noted.

"Now we go to Micheal Thorne in the ring." Peter said, as the director cut.

()

"And now, tonight's main event! The heavyweight championship match! The match will be five rounds of five minutes each. The Challenger from Venice Beach, California... weighing in at 275 and one half pounds. Former IWMMA Heavyweight Champion of the WOOOORLD! Kelly "The Machine" Walsh!" As Kelly walked out, there was a huge pop from the crowd. She got into the ring, throwing warmup punches and kicks to the delight of the crowd.

"And now, weighing in at two hundred and eighty pounds, from Los Angeles by way of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, the IWMMA Heavyweight Champion of the WOOOORLD! Jessica "The Blade" Reynolds!"

The minute her theme hit, her hand drifted to the tags around her neck. Lifting them, she kissed them before stepping out throwing punches. Hearing the crowd chanting her name had her buzzing like it always did. Her game face was in full effect as she walked down the aisle, throwing warm up punches and kicks. Her face was a mask of concentration; if it hadn't been, Kelly and the cameras would have seen how nervous she truly was.

Elphaba walked a few steps behind, with Marcus and Josey. She wasn't a fan of massive crowds, and the arena was standing room only. If they had an advantage, the crowd seemed to be very pro Jessie. Elphaba stood back, as Jessie and Marcus got into the ring.

"She looks nervous." Josey said to Elphaba.

"I think she is, but she's not about to admit it." Elphaba said.

"She's not the only one. See the way Kelly keeps flexing her fists. She only does that when she's fighting Jessie. I think it's a nervous tick." Josey said.

Elphaba nodded as they watched Jessie and Kelly touch gloves in the middle of the ring. Jessie came back to her corner, kneeling and making the sign of the cross. After bowing her head she stood up, and waited for the bell.

As soon as the bell rang, they began throwing haymakers one after the other. Jessie landed a hard knee to Kelly's stomach. When she went for a second, Kelly dropped her with a single leg takedown. The remaining two minutes of the round Jessie spent trying to get out of the ground and pound, and cover up from the haymakers Kelly was throwing. As soon as the bell was rung Kelly got up and offered her a hand up. She took it, to the cheers of the crowd, and made her way to the corner.

"OK, Jess. Try to stay on the offence. Stick to your hands, and guard your legs. You can't afford another round like that." Marcus said, wiping the blood off her nose and swelling eye. He applied some sab to stop the swelling and bleeding, but her nose was flowing, there wasn't much he could do about that.

"Jessie, she's a southpaw. She leads with the left half of her body. When you see her lean in, come up with a knee." Elphaba said, holding Jessie's hand through the open door.

"Thanks Elphie." She knew it was going to get rougher before it got better.

As the second round began, Jessie let herself get taken down again. This time, though, she scrambled to the right, working her way out of it with knees to the guts and fists to the head. With Kelly reeling, Jessie locked her in the armbar. Before Kelly tapped, the second round ended. Jessie broke the armbar, and helped Kelly up.

"Good round." Kelly said, going back to her corner.

Jessie did the same, as Marcus handed her a bottle of water. She drank a little, spitting most of it out.

"Jessie, you're doing great. That was your round. You gotta get her in that armbar quicker." Marcus said.

"I know, I'm trying." Jessie said, winded.

"Deep and even. Deep and even. If you're winded, she's worse." Marcus said, applying sab to her knuckles, "You've been training in this, she hasn't." Marcus said, patting her shoulder. She nodded, getting up.

As soon as Marcus and Kelly's trainer left the ring, round three started. Jessie was taken off guard, expecting Kelly to come out swinging. Jessie moved in when Kelly hesitated, and ate a hard right side kick straight to her ribs. The kick landed with a sickening thud. A second roundhouse landed against her temple, sending her tumbling face first into the cage. The metal split her forehead and lip. Kelly followed up, driving her head into the cage a second time.

"Come on, Jessie! You can do it!" Josey yelled, excitedly.

"THIS IS AWESOME!" The crowd chanted, as Jessie shook out the cobwebs, and finally started firing back. Jessie landed six hard head shots, sending Kelly against the cage. She moved in, beginning to bury knees and kicks against Kelly, as Kelly tied her up in a grapple. Jessie suplexed her using her strength and weight, and locked in a rear naked choke. Seconds after Jessie locked in the hold the bell rang, Jessie released immediately. Kelly was red faced as Jessie pulled her up, and helped her to her corner before going to her own.

"Jessie, you had her. Stay on her." Marcus said, getting a nod, as she gulped down more water. Her arms and legs were getting heavier, and the sweat was pouring painfully into the cuts Marcus was trying to close up. She glanced over and saw a serious look of concern on Elphaba and Josey's faces. She knew she was in as much, if not more, trouble than Kelly was in. She could see Kelly gasping for breath, "How are your ribs?" Marcus asked.

"Probobly cracked. Hurts to breathe." Jessie said, truthfully.

"Try to get her in the armbar early. Don't go blow for blow with her, you're both too tired for that shit." Marcus said.

"I'm…OK." Jessie said, getting up.

When the bell rang, Kelly went back to her kicks. Jessie blocked, answering with one of her own. Kelly grabbed at her leg Jessie recoiled and brought her knee between Kelly's eyes breaking her nose, and sending her tumbling backwards. Jessie followed it up with more body and gut shots, all of them landing on Kelly with devastating results. Kelly returning the favor before Jessie took her down again, putting her in a modified chicken wing armlock. Jessie ground Kelly's head into the mats. The crowd began to cheer her on, they began counting down to the end of the round. Right at the five second mark she heard a loud crack from Kelly's arm. Jessie released immediately the bell signaling the end of the round rang a second after Jessie released the hold.

Jessie was unwilling to seriously hurt her friend for the belt. Jessie stayed at Kelly's side in the ring until she got up.

Kelly patted Jessie's shoulder as she made her way to the corner.

"WHY DID YOU LET HER UP?" Marcus yelled, as she collapsed, breathless in the corner.

"I think…I hyper extended ….her elbow." Jessie said, drawing in deep, greedy breaths.

"Damn it, Jessie, this fight could be over right now." Marcus said.

"Not like that." She said, shaking her head.

"You've only got one round left, and the scoring could go either way. Focus on that arm." Marcus said.

"No. I'll knock her out, but I'm not going to injure her." Jessie said, matter of factly, before coughing up a mouthfull of blood. She lowered her head, catching her breath.

"Jessie, are you OK?" Marcus asked, the concern for her safety evident in his voice.

"I'm …. fine. Just….hurting." Jessie said, her head spinning. She looked at Elphaba and Josey, both looking at her with worried eyes. Jessie made her decision. No matter what happened, she wasn't going down to Kelly.

When the fifth round began, Kelly attempted a single leg takedown. Jessie sidestepped, and she went arm first into the cage with a loud scream. Jessie could have moved in, and taken command of the match, but she didn't instead she waited for Kelly to stand up. Jessie came in with a right hook to her body landing it flush, as Kelly landed a hard right to her head. For the next five minutes, they traded punches neither going down, but both just about out on their feet. When the bell rang, they fell against each other in a hug absolutely exhausted.

"You … had me." Kelly said.

"Not like that. You deserve better than that." Jessie said, breathlessly. Jessie took her right hand, lifting it with a nod to the crowd, as the trainers came in, separating them into their corners.

"Damn it, Jessie. We're going to work on your killer instinct next time. You OK?" Marcus said as he worked on cleaning Jessie up.

"I think she broke a couple of ribs. I'll be OK, Marcus, honestly." She said, collapsing with her eyes closed in the corner.

Elphaba was in the ring, her hand tracing Jessie's swelling cheek. "I'm so proud of you. You were amazing, Jess." She said, earning a kiss to her cheek from an exhausted Jessie.

"I love you, baby." Jessie said, holding her. Elphie could feel how weak Jessie was in her grip alone. Jessie got up, seeing the referee calling them both to the center of the ring. When Kelly got there, they hugged each other again, getting an eruption from the crowd.

"The judges have scored this bout 42-31 Reynolds, 41-30 Walsh and 42-31 for the winner, by split decision, JESSICA "THE BLADE" REYNOLDS!" When the referee raised her hand, Jessie cried out in pain, and Kelly pushed him out of the way.

"Jesus, Jessie." Kelly said, seeing those angry welts.

"No big deal. Good fight, man." Jessie said, pulling her into a hug, as the in ring interviewer came over.

"Blade, how are you feeling?" He asked.

"Like I got hit with a monster truck named Machine." Jessie said, getting a laugh from her audience.

"Is this how you saw this fight ending?" He asked.

"Not really. With Kelly, as tough as she is, you never know how these fights are going to end. She's such a talented martial artist and fighter, it's never predictable." Jessie said, raising Kelly's hand with hers.

"How about it, Machine? Do you think you should've won tonight?" The reporter asked.

Kelly rolled her eyes, "Of course you want to win. But Jessie is as tough as they come in this or any division. I came in expecting a war, and that's exactly what I got."

"Blade, you broke that chicken wing before Kelly tapped and just seconds before the bell. If you had held it, do you think it would have ended with a submission?" He asked.

"I don't think so. I think Kelly and I both came in with the mindset that we don't quit, and I think I would've had to break her arm to stop her. Not something I was willing to do." Jessie said, getting her hair messed up by Kelly.

"Kelly, would you have released it, if the tables were reversed?" He asked.

"No chance. I would've held it until she tapped or until the round ended." Kelly said, honestly.

"Thanks, dude, I feel so honored." Jessie said with a laugh.

"You should. I know what Jessie can do if given the opportunity. I wouldn't dream of giving her the opportunity." Kelly said, grinning.

"You two seem to have a lot of respect for each other. Can we expect to see Blade Machine 3?" He asked.

Jessie looked at Kelly with a grin. "She can have a title shot anytime she'd like one."

"And when I win next time, she can have the same." Kelly said, winking at Jessie.

They bowed to each other, before clearing the ring, to a standing ovation.

()

Jessie hated doctors. She normally avoided them like the plague, but Elphaba and Josey forced her to stick around for this one. After the examination, Jessie laid on her back on the training table, tempted to pass out. The adrenaline rush from the match wasn't worn off yet, and she'd prefer to be in her bed at the cabin when it did. She saw the look of concern on both of their faces when he read off the list of injuries. A busted lip, broken nose, fractured jaw, three broken ribs, two black eyes, and three sprained fingers.

"Shit, doc, you'd think I'd been in a fight or something." Jessie said, chuckling.

"I'm glad you find this funny, Jessie. If you keep going like this, you're only going to have a few years to defend that belt before your injuries force you to retire." The doctor said, concerned.

"Retire? What's that?" Jessie asked, looking at Josey, who didn't look nearly as amused.

"Jessie, are you sure you're OK?" Josey asked.

"I'm fine, sis. Really." Jessie said.

"I understand you're her personal assistant?" The doctor said, looking at Elphaba.

"Yes, I am." Elphaba said.

"You make sure she rests. No training until those ribs are completely healed." The doctor said.

"Yes, sir." Elphaba said, nodding, as the doctor taped up Jessie's ribs. Jessie sipped a bottle of water, not so much as flinching. Not that it didn't hurt, it hurt like crazy. Jessie just had a lifetime of experience tuning it out and working in spite of it. When the doctor was done, Marcus came in.

"How's Kelly?" Jessie asked.

"You were right, you did hyperextend it, and tore two ligaments." Marcus said.

"Oh, fuck. Is she going to be OK?" Jessie asked.

"Jessie, she's fine. Go down and see for yourself." Marcus said.

Jessie slid off the table with a groan of protest, before walking down to Kelly's locker room. Kelly's daughter was on the bench with her.

"Hey, Jess." The young girl said.

"Hey yourself." Jessie said, grinning, as the girl hugged her, "You OK, Kelly?"

"Just the usual after a fight with you. We should get together for training. I'll work with you on ground defence, and you help me figure out the submissions." Kelly said.

"Anytime, girl, you know that." Jessie said.

Kelly grinned, "I'll swing by the dojo sometime."

"Open invitation, especially if you bring my buddy." Jessie said.

Kelly chuckled softly, "Thanks Jess, now get out of here. Take your girlfriend homeand celebrate."

()

When they got back to the cabin, Elphaba took Josey to one of the spare rooms upstairs. Making sure Josey was comfortable Elphaba headed back downstairs.

Josey smiled after Elphaba had left as she unpacked her overnight bag. She freshened up in the bathroom before looking around the guest room a little more thoroughly. She found a small box under the night stand next to the bed. It was addressed to her from Mike.

The note on top read, 'Jessie Victory Supply Kit'. Below that was some more writing, 'Josey, here are a few things to assist you tonight in case Jessie won the title match'. Josey chuckled as she opened the package. Inside were soft foam earplugs, sound canceling headphones, and a sleep eye mask. Josey chuckled as she shook her head slowly, Jessie was right Mike was a goofball.

Josey had settled into her bed and was reading a book quietly. She hadn't heard anything from downstairs for quite some time. She had been a little hungry for awhile now, but didn't want to disturb anything. Perhaps she could sneak down and grab a little something without them realizing it.

()

When Elphaba had come down the stairs from helping Josey she found Jessie stretched out on the couch. She sat down next to her a bit surprised when Jessie motioned her into her arms. Carefully, Elphaba did just that. Once she was settled, Jessie kissed her gently on the head.

"I'm sorry." Jessie said, quietly.

"For what, Jessie?" Elphie asked.

"I knew this was going to be a hard fight. I should have insisted you not come." Jessie stated.

"I wouldn't have missed that for anything. You were awesome." Jessie blushed brightly, as Elphaba kissed her softly.

"I'm glad you liked it." Jessie said, holding her, "I just hope that Josie isn't scarred for life after that."

Elphaba smiled gently, "She had the time of her life today Jessie, I wouldn't worry about her. Besides the beating you took in your first match was worse. How do you do that?"

"Do what, beautiful?" Jessie asked, confused.

"Take that kind of beating, and keep fighting?" Elphaba asked, her fingers stroking that swollen cheek gently.

"I don't know. I've been beaten in one form or another most of my life, I guess my body is just adjusted to it." Jessie said, truthfully. The words brought tears to Elphie's eyes, as she looked down at Jessie. It hurt her to think that Jessie had been hurt like that, "At least now it's only in the ring." Jessie said.

"I'm glad it's only in the ring. I love you, Jessie." Elphie said, holding her close.

"I love you, too. But we do need to talk." Jessie said, sliding out from under Elphie. Jessie sat up on the sofa, "Baby, would you bring me something to drink, please."

"Sure, Jess." Elphaba said, walking to the kitchen nervously. In her experience, the words 'we need to talk' never lead to anything good. She took her time pouring the drinks, not sure if she wanted to go back out there just yet.

Jessie sat on the couch, palming her dog tags in her right hand. It was the last thing she had from her life with Sonya, the thing that made it real every time she touched it. It didn't seem like enough, maybe she should just forget it.

"I got you a sports drink. What did you want to talk about, Jessie?" Elphaba said, sitting across from her.

"I don't think I can keep you on as my assistant anymore," Jessie took her hand, watching her face fall, "Tonight at the fight I realized something. I can't make it without you anymore," Jessie slid off the couch with a groan and went to one knee, "I need you, Elphie. Not as my assistant, but as my partner in life," Jessie laid the dog tags she'd been palming in her hand into Elphie's, "These are the only things I have left of my life in Sonya's world. They mean more to me than anything, except you. I want to spend every day making your life as good as you've made mine. Elphie, will you be my partner in life?" Jessie asked, lowering her head, and waiting on her answer.

Elphaba's stomach drops when Jessie begins to speak. She immediately begins to wonder what she could have done to upset Jessie so much that she fires her. However, when Jessie made her way to her knee Elphaba's heart began to race. She now understood that this wasn't truly about her job as Jessie's assistant. The question leaves her breathless for a few moments. When the feel of cool metal from those dog tags touches her skin, she realizes that Jessie is still waiting for her to answer.

She nods her head as she finally finds her words. "Yes, I will be your partner for life Jessie."

Jessie's world seemed to stop, and it was almost like her words came in slow motion. She felt dizzy, her heart racing. Then she heard Elphie's answer, "You said….."

"Yes." Elphaba said, a touch breathlessly.

"YES!" Jessie screamed, lifting her off the couch completely forgetting her injuries. With a pain filled scream, she nearly dropped Elphaba. Elphaba caught herself and pulled Jessie into a hug. Elphaba began chanting immediately the green mist flowing around them both. In a few moments, Jessie would find herself completely healed.

Josey was at the top of the stairs when she heard Jessie yell in excitement followed by pain. Worried she rushes down the stairs and sees some kind of green mist covering both Elphaba and Jessie. Once the green mist disappears, Josey notices that Jessie looks a lot healthier.

"I KNEW IT! That's what you did to me, isn't it?" Josey sounded a bit accusatory; however, she looked like she was in awe at what she just witnessed.

Elphaba looked up, seeing Josey. She lowered her head, debating. "Yes." She said, lowly.

To her shock, Josie ran to her, wrapping her in a hug. "You saved my life, Elphie. Thank you."

"You're welcome." Elphaba said, hugging her back, and kissing her head softly.

"Josie, you can't tell a soul." Jessie said, dead serious.

Josey scoffed lightly, "Please, like I would tell anyone? She's my friend too, you know."

"I like you, too, Josie." Elphaba said, letting her go, and messing up her hair.

Josey grinned up at the pair of them, "Sorry for interrupting, I just wanted to grab a quick snack." Josey gathers a few snack foods and heads back to the stairs. "See you two in the morning." Josey chuckles softly to herself as she heads back upstairs. Now that Jessie is 100% again, maybe she WILL need to use that care package from Mike.

()

Elphaba smiled as she watched Josey gather some food and head back upstairs. She quickly slips the dogtags on around her neck. "See you in the morning Josey."

Once Josey is upstairs, Elphaba pulls Jessie into a deep kiss. Pulling back slightly she smiles up at Jessie brightly. "How shall we celebrate your victory tonight now that you are healed?"

Jessie is a bit surprised by the kiss, but happily returns it. Elphie's question brings a grin to her face as she picks Elphie up and carries her into the master suite which is next to the kitchen. "I have a few ideas, but all of them require a bit more privacy." Jessie kicks the bedroom door shut with the heel of her foot once they are clear of the door.


	21. Chapter 21

Jessie couldn't believe this. Of all the fucking weeks for them to have to go to Hawaii on business. Her family was there, which meant Jessie would honestly prefer to be ANYWHERE else. Not to mention the five and a half hour flight. Jessie was fine with one or two hours, but since her time in the tomb on Shang's island Jessie hated enclosed spaces. She had trouble being in enclosed spaces for too long, she began to have panic attacks. With Elphaba on her right, Josey and her mom in front, Marcus right across the aisle, and Mike and Rich behind her, she couldn't have been surrounded by more friends. However, that didn't help her mindset in the least.

"Can I get you something to drink, ma'am?" The stewardess asked, bringing Jessie back from her thoughts.

"Um, yeah, a double screwdriver, please." Jessie said, shakily.

"Are you OK, Jess?" Elphaba said, taking her hand. It was then she noticed that Jessie was shaking, and her palms were sweating. The woman left the ingredients for the drink with two bottles of vodka.

"I'm OK." Jessie said. The stewardess looked at Elphaba.

"For you, ma'am?"

"Root beer, please." The stewardess nodded, before handing Elphaba a can and glass of ice. When the stewardess moved on, Elphaba looked at Jessie, "Now, what's really wrong?"

"I…I don't like long flights. I feel….trapped sometimes." Jessie said, her voice trembling. Josey looked back.

"You OK, sis?" She asked, worriedly. Jessie put on a bright smile.

"I'm fine. How about you? How are you liking first class?"

Josey smiled brightly, "I'm great! I can't believe I'm going to Hawaii. Jessie, please thank the IWMMA for this."

"I will. But you can thank them more by being in a couple of pictures with me." Jessie said with a grin.

"I was gonna do that anyway." She said, grinning broadly, before turning back around. Jessie looked at Elphaba, finding a soft smile on her face.

"You are wonderful." She whispered into Jessie's ear.

"Aww, it wasn't nothing, ma'am." Jessie said, cracking Elphaba up, but she still had fear in her eyes.

"Here, take this." Marcus said, passing her a pill.

"I hate meds. What does it do?" Jessie asked.

"It's your anti anxiety medication." Marcus explained.

"Take it, Jessie. It couldn't hurt." Elphaba encouraged. Jessie rolled her eyes, but popped the pill, washing it down with the double screwdriver Elphaba had poured as they talked.

"Happy now?" Jessie said, rolling her eyes again.

"Very, baby." Elphie said, squeezing her hand.

"Well, I'm not. Mmmmmm, but fuck it, as long as you are." Jessie said, no hostility to her voice, although it was kinda slurred.

"Jessie…." Before she could answer Elphaba, Jessie closed her eyes, sitting back in the seat.

"That should calm her down." Marcus said, smirking.

"What was that?" Elphaba asked, worry in her voice.

"Her nerve pills. She never takes them, so when they hit her stomach, they knock her out." He said casually.

"So, she's OK?" Elphaba asked, a hint of anger creeping into her voice.

"She's fine, Elphie. It usually knocks her out for six hours. By the time we get there, she'll be coming through." Marcus said.

"She ever taken it with Vodka before?" Elphie asked.

Marcus shrugged, "She usually washes it down with whatever she's drinking. I let it dissolve in it. Less fuss that way."

"Marcus, you are NOT doing that again." Elphaba said, emphatically glaring at him.

"Relax. Sometimes Jessie has to be pushed into doing what she needs. If we didn't give her the pill, she'd freak out after two hours in a panic attack. Just trust me, Elphaba. She's like a daughter to me, I wouldn't do anything to hurt her." Marcus explained, ignoring the glare from Elphaba. Elphaba rolled her eyes at Marcus, but sat back next to Jessie, holding her motionless hand. The flight was uneventful to Honolulu, and Jessie slept completely through it. When the plane landed, she was still unconscious. It took the four of them to get Jessie in the aquaplane to take her to the resort. It wasn't until they were in the limo that Jessie began to come around.

"Are we there yet?" Jessie mumbled, stirring. The laughs got her to open her eyes.

"Yeah, the flights are over." Marcus said. Jessie raised an eyebrow.

"Flights? As in plural?" Jessie asked, getting a nod. She looked at Elphaba, questioningly.

"Well, the hotel we wanted was completely booked, so we had to adjust." Elphaba said, getting a nod from Jessie, as the limo stopped. Jessie got out and looking at the resort? She read the sign carefully three times before she looked back at Marcus and Elphaba growling.

"What in the FUCK are we doing here?" Jessie asked, furious.

"Jessie, this was the only thing available." Elphaba said, lying through her teeth.

"Bullshit. You booked our rooms at the same time you booked the family's, didn't you?" She asked, glaring at Elphaba. Elphaba gave up on the lie, but stood her ground to Jessie.

"Jessie, if you're going to spend a hundred and fifty thousand dollars, you should get something out of this."

"Damn it, Elphie, you have no fucking idea what you've done." Jessie said, watching another limo pull up. Seeing Josey get out, Jessie tried to get herself under control. Elphaba sighed, wondering if she had made a mistake.

"JESS! The limo ride was AWESOME! I can't believe the IWMMA did all of this!" Josey said, excitedly.

"Neither can I! It is really cool, though." Jessie said, looking hard at Elphaba,

"This is soo cool!" Josey said, excitedly.

"Come on, sweety, let's get you and your mom checked in." Marcus said, leading her and her mom inside. One look at Jessie's face, and Mike and Rick followed.

"Jessie…." Elphaba began.

"Elphaba, those people are toxic. I wouldn't want my worst enemy exposed to them, much less my best friend." Jessie said, matter of factly.

"Jessie, how long has it been since you've seen them?" Elphaba asked softly.

"Four years ago." Jessie said, actually having to think back.

"Maybe things are different now." Elphaba suggested, getting a laugh.

"I doubt it. You know what? Why argue, you'll see." Jessie said, walking towards the entrance. When she got inside, she looked around. Jessie actually breathed a sigh of relief when she didn't see anyone she recognized. With her luck, they were in all still in their rooms.

"Here's your room key, Jess." Marcus said, handing it to her.

"You have anything to do with this?" Jessie asked, getting a head shake.

"Nope, this was all Elphie's idea. I did know we were coming, though." Marcus said. Jessie glared at him.

"Then why didn't you warn me?" Honestly, Elphaba she understood a little better about this deception. However, Marcus KNEW her family. He should have at least cleared it with her first.

Marcus smiled gently, "Jessie, you're not that same kid that they threw out. You're not the same girl that was out of shape and broke last time they saw you. You are the IWMMA heavyweight champion of the world. You are a two time humanitarian of the year award winner. They deserve to see what you've made of yourself."

"So you agree with Elphaba?" Jessie asked.

"Whole heartedly." Marcus said.

"Are you ready, Jess?" Elphaba asked, putting her arm around Jessie's waist. Jessie's arm slipped around her shoulder.

"Very." Jessie said, letting Elphie lead her to the elevator.

"Jess, can we go wave running later?" Josey asked, as she and her mom caught up with them.

"Absolutly, Josey." Jessie said, smiling as her free arm went around Josey. Josey's smile brightened,

"And then maybe surfing?"

"That should be a blast, Josey." Jessie said with a smile.

"You're coming too, right Elphaba?" Josey asked, getting a smile and a nod, as they stepped onto the elevator.

()

Jessie hadn't said much since they got to the room, making Elphaba nervous. She truly didn't expect Jessie to react like this. Jessie sat on the sofa, notebook computer in hand. Hoping to make it up to her, or at least get her to talk, Elphaba brought two cups of tea and sat down. "What are you doing?" Elphaba asked, curiously.

Jessie looked up from the computer, granting her a large smile. "I'm just checking my fanmail," Jessie closed the notebook, setting it on the table, "So, now that you and Marcus have dragged me to Hawaii on false pretenses, what did you want to do first?" Unlike earlier, there was no anger in her voice. Elphaba breathed a small sigh of relief when she heard the calmness in Jessie's voice.

"I was thinking you and I could go down to the beach, maybe go swimming."

"Maybe tomorrow. I'm still kinda spaced with those meds." Jessie said, getting a nod, as Elphaba stood up, "Sit in my arms, please." Jessie asked, getting a smile. Elphaba slipped into her arms easily.

"So I'm forgiven?" Elphaba asked, snuggling back into Jessie.

"Of course. Besides, if I have to be here with those snakes, at least I'm doing it with the most beautiful girl in the world on my arm." Jessie said, kissing the back of her head. Elphaba blushed brightly at that. "And you'll get to show me off to all of them tonight. It's the gathering dinner." Elphaba said.

Jessie groaned, "Are you sure you want to do that, love? I'd be just as happy to occasionally bump into and otherwise avoid these people for the week."

"Of course I do. I'm the girlfriend of the IWMMA champion. I want to show her off." Elphaba said, getting a small smile from Jessie.

"I'm afraid you're going to be very disappointed at the reaction you get. Last time I went to one of these things, everyone paid their own way, and I had to stay at my sister's place. I hadn't eaten on the bus ride down, and I got my head bitten off for getting a soda and making myself a sandwich. My fat ass wasn't buying any food for her house, so why should I be allowed to eat." Jessie said, shaking her head at the memory.

Elphaba bristled when she heard that. "It's different now. You're different now."

"I guess." Jessie said, with a shrug. She had already started to brace herself for the real impact. It was what those words could do to Elphaba that really scared and worried her. Elphaba calmed down before gently kissing Jessie on the cheek.

"I know. Go take a shower, I'll pick you out a nice outfit to wear."

"Thank you." Jessie said, kissing Elphie's head, before heading for the shower.

()

Jessie was nervous enough she was fidgeting in the basic black button up shirt and black pants Elphaba had selected for her. She was dreading this, but with Elphie on her arm and dressed in a knee length blue dress with black heels she had to smile. Elphaba looked amazing and confident. Elphaba held Jessie's sweaty palm as they stood just outside the dining room.

"Are you ready?"

"Yeah, I'm ready." Jessie said, kissing her cheek, before Elphaba opened the door to the private dining room. The loud room moments before fell quiet as Elphaba and Jessie walked in. They could feel all the eyes on them, as they walked to Jessie's parents, "Happy Anniversary!" Jessie said, hugging her mother, who pushed her off a bit.

"Thank you. Who's that?" Her mother asked, as Jessie hugged her more receptive father.

"Mom, dad, this is Elphaba. Elphaba, this is my mother, Sandy, and my dad Paul." Jessie said, stepping back, as people began talking and laughing again.

"Elphaba, yes. It's a pleasure to meet you, dear." Sandy said, not at all meaning it. _How could she show up with that…woman on her arm._ Sandy thought to herself, angrily.

"The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Reynolds." Elphaba said, extending her hand.

"That's what you think! What's going on, Two Ton?" Jessie turned around, to see Lucas.

"Don't call me that." Jessie said, rolling her eyes.

"What's the matter, you don't want your girlfriend to know you're a fat pig. Has she seen you naked yet? Trust me, you could do much better, Elphaba." Jessie looked at Luke, her face and neck turning red, as those close enough to hear the comment laughed.

"I doubt it, but thank you for your concern. Who are you, again?" Elphaba asked, her mud wrestling smile plastered on her face.

"I'm her brother, Lucas. We spoke on the phone." He said with a sneer.

"Ah, yes. The one with no manners at all. It's nice to put a face to the name." Elphaba said, sweetly.

"Yeah, I'm sure it is. Well, grab a seat two ton. Try not to eat all the food this time." Lucas said, getting another round of laughs out of her family. Jessie took Elphie's arm, leading her to the table.

"Baby, can we please go home?" Jessie whispered, her voice cracking a little as she sat next to Elphie.

"Jessie, escort me to the buffet." Elphaba said, leading her off.

"Leave some for the rest of us, two ton." Lucas said, as they left. Jessie looked at Elphie, tears in her eyes.

"Please, baby, can I go home?" Jessie said, her voice cracking. Elphaba reached up, and wiped her eyes gently.

"Jess, this is like Las Vegas. If you don't go back in there, then they win."

"All they're going to do is keep making me the butts of all the jokes for the evening." Jessie said pitifully.

"Trust me." Elphaba said, kissing her cheek, as they began fixing their plates.

()

"Lucas, why did you pay for her and her girlfriend? This is supposed to be for family only. Even your friends aren't here for this dinner." Sandy said, rolling her eyes.

"I didn't, mom. The girlfriend must've paid for her own plane ticket." Lucas said, annoyed that Jessie had even shown up. He and Jan hadn't planned on this.

"Well, she's here now. I'm glad to see her." Paul said.

"I'm glad to see her, too, dad. Just not with that embarassment." Jan said, rolling her eyes, as Jessie and Elphaba headed back with their plates.

"Remember, we are Reynolds first. Be polite." Sandy reminded them, smiling at Jessie and Elphaba, as Jessie put her plate down and pulled out Elphaba's chair.

"Thank you, Jessie." Elphaba said, sitting down.

"Good to see you haven't forgotten all of your manners, two ton." Lucas said, as Jessie sat down.

"Didn't I tell you! Two Ton would hit the prime rib first." Jan said, smirking, as Jessie sat down.

"Yeah, really. I mean, Jess, would a salad kill you?" Lucas said, a smirk plastered firmly on his face.

"I eat salad all the time, but I'm on vacation." Jessie said, matter of factly.

"Yeah, sure you do two ton. Since two ton forgot most of her manners, I'm Jan, her sister." Jan offered.

"Nice to meet you. Jessie's told me a lot of wonderful things about all of you." Elphaba lied.

"Don't believe any of them." Lucas said, laughing.

"I'm afraid she hasn't told us much about you, Elphaba. Where are you from, dear?" Sandy asked.

"Topeka, Kansas, originally." Elphaba answered, before beginning to eat.

"You must be a saint, putting up with Jessie." Jan said, rolling her eyes.

"Or into pro bono work. You used to be a stripper, didn't you? I thought I saw something about that on the news." Lucas said, smirking at how much that was pissing Jessie off.

"She wasn't a stripper, she was a mud wrestler, asshole." Jessie said, rolling her eyes.

"Jessie, why are you so vulgar. Apologize to Lucas this instant." Sandy said, "He was kind enough to pay your way here, you have no business being so rude." Elphaba shot a glare at Lucas, who smirked even more.

"Pay her way…." Jessie raised her hand to stop Elphaba, before shaking her head.

"I'm sorry, Lucas." Jessie said, concentrating on her food.

"It's OK. We're all used to your rude behavior, but perhaps you should apologize to Elphaba. I mean, just being seen with you must be quite embarrassing for her. Unless, of course, you're into humilation." Lucas said, looking at Elphaba. Jessie threw down her napkin, and went to stand up. Elphaba grabbed her arm.

"Ignore him." She whispered.

"What's the matter, two ton, truth hurt?" Jan said, laughing. Most of the family joined in, as Jessie sat back down, red faced.

"Come on, Two Ton, it's just a joke." Lucas said.

"You're a fucking joke." Jessie mumbled under her breath.

"What was that? We couldn't hear you, Jessie." Jan said.

"Mumbling really is rude, Jessie. And sit up straight." Jessie sat up straighter, "Much better." Sandy said, sipping her water and looking at Elphaba, "So Jessie met you in Las Vegas?"

Jessie drifted farther into her head, as the meal and insults continued. She really didn't want to be here. This was the exact reason she avoided this entire thing like the plague. It was the same since she was a kid. She was almost grateful when desert was served, although she hadn't touched it. Much like the prime rib.

"….What do you think, two ton?" Lucas asked.

"About what?" Jessie asked Lucas, not really hearing him.

"About me setting up Elphaba with Joe. He's in town, you know." Lucas said with a smirk.

"She's my girlfriend. I think that idea sucks." Jessie said, matter of factly.

"Oh, come on, two ton! You scared your girlfriend's gonna dump you for a real man?" He said, laughing. Elphaba glared at Lucas, but had a sweet smile on her face.

"You actually know a real man? That is quite impressive. I didn't know uncouth boys knew how to act around real men." Everyone around the table actually fell silent for a few moments, they weren't used to someone actually standing up for Jessie. Jessie smiled inwardly at Elphie's comment, but the atmosphere of the room was absolutely unbearable.

"Elphaba, I'm going back to the room. I'm feeling sick."

Recovering first, Jessie's mother spoke. "You can't leave yet! We're going to start the slideshow soon."

"Sorry, mom, I'm not in the mood." Jessie said, getting up.

"Sit down this instant. You're embarrassing me." Sandy said, her voice raising.

"They've been embarrassing me all night." Jessie said, walking off.

"JESSICA BRENDA REYNOLDS SIT DOWN THIS INSTANT!" Her mother yelled after her. Jessie threw up her hands, continuing to walk.

"Good riddance, if you ask me, mom." Lucas said, scoffing.

"After the way you people have treated her all night, do you really blame her?" Elphaba asked.

Jan sneered at Elphaba,"Oh, it's just a joke, Elphaba. Besides, Jessie's tough, she can take it."

"She doesn't deserve to get treated like that." Elphaba said, angrily.

"If you don't like it, you're welcome to leave. It's not like you were invited anyway." Jan said, matter of factly. Elphaba's eyes harden, but she puts on a 'pleasant' smile.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't realize that my _girlfriend_ didn't invite me when she paid for this vacation. Right now I am almost regretting talking her INTO paying for all of you to come out here. I am amazed that you asked her to pay your way out here and then treat her like she is nothing. You should all be ashamed of yourselves for how you are acting. I believe I have seen five year olds treat their pet goldfish better than you treat her." Elphaba got up and slowly began making her way out of the room. When she got to the door, Elphaba turned to give one last comment. "I believe prisoners of war were treated with more dignity and respect than you treat Jessie." Elphaba shook her head sadly before walking out of the room. Everyone was so shocked my her words that for the third time that evening, the room was absolutely silent for a few moments.

"What did that mean, Lucas?" Sandy asked, once the shock of Elphaba's speech wore off.

"Nothing, mom. She must be on drugs like Jessie. You heard about that nervous breakdown Jessie had, didn't you?" Lucas said quickly. He looked over at Jan, they would need to figure out how to get Jessie to put a muzzle on that green bitch before she ruined this vacation even more.

Elphaba walked back to the elevator. She thought her family was bad, but this was ridiculous. When she got back to the room, she found it empty. Elphaba walked down to Marcus' room but didn't find Jessie there either. She began to panic, where was Jessie?

()

Jessie found herself a quiet spot on the beach, and sat down looking over the water. This was why she hadn't wanted Elphaba exposed to these people. Every thing was fine, as long as it was at her expense. Any time she spoke up for herself, it turned into a screaming match because she was so rude and uncouth. Of course, anything they said about her was fine. Jessie shook her head.

After not seeing them for four years, she somehow expected it to be different. She wasn't working a minimum wage job and living in a shelter anymore. She was the heavyweight champion of the world, and known worldwide for her charity work. Still, these people saw her as cannon fodder. A way to entertain themselves and each other. It was still all her fault when conflict started. She took another swig of the coconut rum in her hand. There was no way Elphie would want to be with her after that. She laid down, taking another swig and looking at the stars.

()

Elphaba was truly terrified. It was three in the morning, and Jessie still hadn't made it back to the room. Marcus and Mike were out looking for her, and Rick took the job of asking her family. Elphaba wanted to choke most of them, so it seemed like the safer option.

"Get off me…I'm fine. Fuck it…It don't matter….fuck it." Elphaba breathed a sigh of relief, hearing Jessie's extremely slurred voice echoing down the hall. The door flew open, and Jessie staggered in, covered in sand. She fell over the two half steps, falling flat on her face.

"She was on the beach, shitfaced drunk." Marcus said, walking in behind Jessie.

"Shhhh, that was supposed to be a secaret. Lousy fink." Jessie said, trying to sit up and falling back down immediately.

"Help me out, Marcus." Elphaba said, trying to pick Jessie up.

"I'm fine. Leave me alone!" Jessie protested, trying to shake them off. Marcus and Elphie got her to the couch after a miniature struggle. "Where's my rum?" Jessie asked, her eyes almost rolling back in her head.

"You don't need anymore rum." Elphaba said, helping Marcus lay her down. Her eyes fluttered closed.

"I've never seen Jessie drink like this." Marcus said, worry etched on his face.

"Me, either. Let her sleep. I'll keep an eye on her." Elphaba said softly.

"Are you sure?" Marcus looked over Jessie worriedly. He knew there were issues with her family. Honestly, he didn't expect it to be this bad though.

"Positive." Elphaba said, sitting on the sofa next to Jessie.

"OK, I'll be in the other room if you need me." Marcus said, leaving Jessie in Elphaba's capable hands. Elphaba cleaned all of the sand off of Jessie and made sure she was wearing clean pajamas. She then put a blanket over Jessie's body.

Watching her sleep, Elphaba prepped a bowl with water and a fresh towel on the coffee table. She also had a few glasses of water prepared for Jessie should she wake up and need some. Elphaba then settled onto the couch and gently laid Jessie's head in her lap. She gently ran her hand through Jessie's hair and hummed softly. Elphaba felt partially responsible for Jessie drinking herself into oblivion tonight. Maybe it was a mistake to bring her here.


	22. Chapter 22

The first thing Jessie noticed was the bright sunlight from the window shining right in her eyes. She squinted, raising her hand to protect her eyes. In an instant the blinds were shut but not before that sick feeling in her stomach that woke her up had her gagging. Within seconds, an empty ice bucket appeared under her head. Minutes later, it was filled quarter way with bile. When she was done, she laid her head back, it felt like it was swimming.

"Thanks, baby." Jessie said, closing her eyes. She still felt nauseous, but was grateful to find Elphaba beside her to care for her.

Elphaba set a warm, damp towel on Jessie's forehead. "What happened last night?"

"I had to get out. Get my head straight." Jessie said, the warm towel felt wonderful.

"You could've told me where you were going. I was worried sick." Elphaba said, shaking her head.

"Elphie, I needed to be alone. You don't understand….every time I see these people, I end up like this." Jessie said, holding her aching head.

"I can understand that, but you can't just take off like that. People worry about you." Elphaba said, settling on the couch and nestling Jessie's head in her lap once again.

"Elphie, I'm worthless like that. I don't ever want you to be exposed to me like that." Jessie said, honestly fearful of it. She had been in the same state of mind that she was at the arena during the charity event. Ready to hurt someone. When she got like that, her best bet was to be alone.

Elphaba sighed softly, "Jessie, I'll take you anyway you are. You can't do that to me again."

Jessie opened her bloodshot eyes, but she looked truly sad. "I'm sorry, baby. I never meant to scare you like that." Jessie said, feeling tears building.

Elphaba hugged her tightly,"Jessie? Would you let me do some magic? It's a spell I learned in Oz. I used it to keep track of Fiyero. Once I cast it, all we'll have to do is think about each other, and we'll be able to find each other."

"Baby, have at it." Jessie said, holding onto her hands. Elphaba closed her eyes and chanted softly. Jessie and her hands both began glowing green. Jessie felt a warmth unlike any other she had felt before fill her, as Elphaba mumbled the words. A few moments later, Elphaba opened her eyes, looking even more tired than she had looked before.

"That….should do it." Elphaba said, panting a little.

Jessie pulled Elphie into a hug, "Rest, my angel." Jessie said, kissing her head.

Elphaba moved so that she was laying on her side next to Jessie. A few minutes later, they were both fast asleep on the couch.

()

Paul walked downstairs for breakfast, still hearing the buzzing about Jessie from last night. He never particularly cared for that, but like the rest of his big family he thought they would work it out on their own. After so many years, it was a wonder they hadn't.

The part that was bothering him the most was the green woman's words That Jessie had paid for all of this. Everyone knew Jessie made a lot of money from fighting, but all of his kids had good jobs. Lucas averaged two hundred thousand a year, and Jan just got promoted to principal, making around eighty thousand. With a two way split, it would have been an doable pull between the both of them. He wasn't surprised to see Lucas sitting with one of his old college friends.

"Hey, dad! Dad, this is Joe. Joe, this is my dad, Paul." He said, motioning to the stoic old man behind Joe.

"Pleasure, sir." Joe said, extending his hand. Paul shook it.

"Pleasure's all mine." Paul said, sitting down with them.

"I was just telling Joe that Jessie came to the reunion." Lucas said, as Paul sipped his coffee.

"Damn shame. Well, at least you have two kids you can be proud of." Joe said, sympathetically.

"She lost a shit ton of weight, and is the IWMMA women's champion." Paul said, continuing to sip the coffee.

"That's like pro wrestling, dad. It's all fake." Lucas said, dismissively.

"Actually, it's closer to boxing." Joe corrected him, getting a look.

"It doesn't matter. But I guess she couldn't do any better. Jess always was a little slow. At least she's off the streets." Lucas said, feigned sympathy in his voice.

"That was very kind of you to get her an apartment, Lucas. When you told me that you decided to fly her in here too? You're a saint." Joe said, impressed.

"I try." Lucas said, deflecting the praise.

"Jessie did that on her own. At least give the girl credit for something." Paul said, eating his eggs.

"No she didn't. I had to bail her out, yet again. She's lucky I even let her come to this." Lucas said, sipping his orange juice.

Lucas looked at Joe, "Speaking of Jessie, have you seen the woman she's with? I'd love to…" Before he could finish, Paul shot him a look.

"Take her out to dinner?" Joe finished the sentence.

"I'd leave her alone, son. She seems pretty serious about Jessie." Paul warned.

"Ahhh, that's just because she hasn't met Joe yet, right Joe?" Lucas said, chuckling.

"Excuse me, boys. I'm suddenly not very hungry." Paul said, getting up.

"What's his problem?" Joe asked, getting a shrug.

"He's got a soft spot for Jess. Don't worry, he'll come around." Lucas said, matter of factly.

"It's not even like she's his daughter, anyway. She doesn't look like either of them." Joe said, getting a nod.

"Yeah, mom was definatly fucking around with her. Bitch is damaged, but the green one might be worth something. Just remember, do whatever you have to do to get her attention." Lucas said, smirking. He'd teach Jessie- to show up with a woman.

()

It was about noon when Jessie woke up to a knock at the door. Sliding out from a still sleeping Elphaba, she got to her feet. Walking the two steps to the door with the pounding in her head felt like she had walked three miles. She opened it, though, to find Paul on the other side.

"Hey, how are you, sweety?" Her dad asked, wrapping her in a hug.

"I'm …fine. Just really hung over." Jessie said, honestly. She shook her head to get the cobwebs out, and it didn't seem to be helping.

"Mind if I come in a few minutes?" He asked.

"Sure, you're always welcomed, dad. Come on in." Jessie said, stepping aside so he could. Elphaba sat up, looking at Paul questioningly.

"Good Morning, Elphaba." Paul said, smiling at her.

"Good morning sir." She said, a little suspiciously, "Jessie, I'll make some coffee."

"Please and thank you." Jessie said, getting a nod as she walked towards the kitchen area.

"She's quite the firecracker. Told Jan and Lucas off last night." Paul said, chuckling.

"Really? She did that?" Jessie asked, floored. She remembered Elphie giving Lucas a piece of her mind. She didn't know that Elphie had gone after Jan too.

"Oh, yeah. Told them she had seen prisoners treated with more respect and dignity than you were. Jessie, I don't understand. You're all adults. Why do you revert to being fifteen year olds when you come together?" He asked, he wasn't trying to put her down. He was genuinely curious.

"I'm sorry, dad. I'll try to hold my tongue more." Jessie said sullenly.

"No, you won't. You shouldn't, anyway. I've just never understood why. You're a pretty, strong, independent woman, and so is Jan. Lucas is still in his playboy flavor of the month faze, but he's doing well, so who am I to judge? The only part that worries me is your friend, Rick, came looking for you last night." Paul said.

"Yeah, I tied one on a little too well." Jessie said, embarrassed.

Paul nodded in understanding, "Look, I might have been hard on all you kids. It's because I didn't want you screwing up like I did. However, when my disciplined daughter can't be found on a island from a bender, I start to worry."

Jessie nodded sheepishly, "Yeah, Elphaba was, too."

Elphaba brought out the coffee for all of them, along with sugar and cream. "I'll go make something to eat." She offered, turning back around.

"No, don't do that, ma'am. It seems that you're my daughter's girlfriend, and soon to be part of my family. You don't need to go anywhere." Paul said with a gentle smile.

"Are you sure?" Elphaba asked.

He nodded, "Very. Please, join us."

"I would be honored, sir." Elphaba said, sitting next to Jessie, who's jaw was on the floor.

"What?" Paul asked, confused by the shocked expression on Jessie's face. He sipped the coffee, "Now _that_ is coffee. That weak shit they served at the buffet, not so much." He said, getting a smile out of Jessie.

"Yeah, that's why I bring my own pot." Jessie said, smiling for the first time that day, "You're OK with us? Lucas mentioned that mom was upset."

"Your mom is upset, but she gets her panties in a wad at anything your brother and sister convince her is an embarassment to the family. First thing they did when they saw it on ESPN was call and tell her all about it." Paul explained, "Now, most of this could have been eliminated had you called home more than once a year."

"Sorry, dad. Between training and fighting…." Jessie began.

Paul raised his hand to pause Jessie, "I understand. Just letting you know this could be avoided."

"Not really. I mean, Lucas and Jan are the ones she listens to, not me." Jessie said sullenly.

"I would've listened." Paul said, bringing tears to Jessie's eyes.

"Why do they treat her like that?" Elphaba asked, trying to change the subject.

"Jessie is kinda a loner, and she's not really close with either of them. Didn't help that I was deployed for months at a time when she was growing up. Sandy's sisters and brothers used to help fill in for me, and I know they like Jessie less than Jan and Lucas do. Never understood why." He said, truthfully.

"I hope you don't mind, Mr. Reynolds, but I'm going to try to keep her exposure to them a minimum." She said.

Paul sighed softly, "I'd rather you didn't. Her mother and I are getting older. We are lucky to see her on TV normally. By the way, watch Machine's ground and pound. Jesus, she almost boxed your ears off in that match."

"I'm working on it, dad." Jessie said, a little defensively.

"Work harder. It was a hell of a match, though." Paul said.

Jessie nodded. "A tough one, but it was pretty good."

"Lucas and Jan booked a dinner and dancing cruise tonight. I'm assuming you're coming?" Paul asked, hopefully.

"I'll try to make it, dad. I'm also doing some photo shoots for IWMMA." She honestly hoped the photo shoot ran long.

"No, you aren't. The IWMMA doesn't even know you're here." Elphaba said.

Jessie raised an eyebrow at that, "You and Marcus invented the entire thing?" Jessie asked, getting a sheepish nod from Elphie.

"Marcus? Marcus Raimes is here?" Paul asked excitedly.

"Yeah, he's across the hall." Jessie said.

"Jessie, is there any way you could introduce me? I saw him fight a few years before you were born on leave in Japan." Paul's excitement was clearly visible at the thought.

Jessie chuckled softly, "Sure, dad. I'd love to, but he's probably asleep."

"I can wait." Paul took a second to calm himself down before looking lovingly at Jessie, "Look, Jess, I know it doesn't' seem like it, but we don't hate you. We love you very much." Jessie cleared her throat to stop her tears, "OK, baby?"

"Yes, sir." Jessie said, her voice cracking.

To Jessie's shock, he got up and hugged her tightly. "You don't sir me. I work for a living." He said, messing up her hair.

"Thanks, dad." Jessie said through a few tears.

"Anytime, baby. Anytime." He said, looking to Elphaba, "Would you join me in the hall, please?"

"It would be my pleasure." Elphaba said, walking him to the door. When they were in the hallway, Paul led her a little down from the door.

"Is what you said last night true? Jessie paid for all of this?" He asked, his voice harder than before.

Elphaba crossed her arms in front of her before nodding. "Yes, she did. Mr. Reynolds, Jessie was told not to come, but to pay for this anyway. It's my understanding it happens every year."

Paul shook his head. "It would explain why Lucas and Jan, who wouldn't part with a penny if their lives depended on it, were suddenly treating the entire family once a year. Do you have any proof of this? Anything I can show her mother to convince her that it's Jessie and not them?"

"The reciepts are all at the main desk. Everything is on Jessie's business expenses credit card. Honestly though, I don't think Jessie wants anyone to know. She seems to back away from acknowledgement as much as confrontation." Elphie said softly.

"She's been like that her whole life. I'm inclined to believe it's her grandmother's influence, god rest her soul. Stressed to all the kids that the act is what's important, and the acknowledgement is detrimental. According to her, the only acknowledgement you ever need is from God and yourself." He said, smiling, "She's a lot like my mom was."

"I just don't think she wanted anyone to know the truth, or she would have corrected it at the family dinner." Elphaba said, wondering why this man was being so honest with her.

"But she deserves the credit. Lucas and Jan have been holding this shit over her head for too damn long. Jessie deserves a lot better than she gets." Paul can't believe Lucas and Jan would stoop so low.

"I agree. This has been going on a while. Why haven't you stepped up before now?" She asked, hoping not to offend the man in front of her.

Paul sighed heavily, "I wasn't there when they were growing up. What business do I have sticking my nose in their business now?" He asked.

"You're their father. That is your business." Elphaba said softly before walking back to the room.

Paul stood shocked for a moment, before turning, and walking back to the elevator. Perhaps it was time for him to step up and be a father for his children.

()

Jessie was buttoning the last button on her shirt, when Elphaba came into the bathroom. She hadn't told Jessie anything about the conversation between her and Paul. Instead she walked to Jessie, with a smirk she turned her around to unbutton the top button.

"Do we have to do this tonight?" Jessie asked.

"Of course, Jessie. You heard your dad, he wants you there." Elphaba said.

Jessie sighed deeply. "Unfortunatly, he's the only one."

"Jess, you can't let these people dictate your life." Elphaba said softly.

"You're right, of course. Doesn't mean avoiding everyone like the plague hasn't worked so far." Jessie said, kissing her softly.

"Take it from someone who knows, love. You can't run forever. We'll stand together." Elphaba said, slipping her hand into Jessie's.

"Well, if you insist on me doing this, I might as well do it right." Jessie said, letting go of her hand and putting her arm around Elphaba.

"Come on, let's go." Elphaba said, leading her out. When they got to the hallway, they were shocked to see Rick, Mike, and Marcus waiting.

"Guys?" Jessie asked.

"Oh, your dad invited us. Nice guy." Marcus said.

"Let's go, then." Jessie said, thrilled to hear it.

()

When the limo pulled up to the boat, everyone was shocked. Even more so when Jessie stepped out, before helping Elphie out.

"Can you believe the nerve of that bitch?" Lucas said, motioning to Jessie.

"I bet she used her rent money for that." Jan said, rolling her eyes as her boyfriend pulled her closer.

"Better than going up her nose or in her arm, I suppose." Lucas said, faking a smile as he waved at Jessie. Jessie didn't even acknowledge him, walking past with Elphaba.

"Nicely done." Elphaba whispered, getting a grin, before Jessie found herself being spun around by Lucas.

"What, the shuttle wasn't good enough for you?" Lucas said, angrily, through a smile.

"The shuttle works fine, it just wasn't available at this hour." She said, shrugging off his hand.

"Then get your lazy ass up here earlier. You have no business embarrassing us like this." He said through clenched teeth.

Elphaba stepped slightly in front of Jessie, "Embarrassing you? Are you sure you aren't just jealous that she thought to come out here in a limo?"

Before Lucas has an opportunity to retort Mike speaks up from behind him. "Only embarrassment here is you."

He spun around, seeing Mike. "And who are you?" Lucas asked, annoyed..

"A guest of your dad's." Mike said, a smirk on his face, "I'm assuming that's not a problem?" Mike said, his voice deepening threateningly.

Lucas put on his best 'lawyer smile'. "No, not at all. What's your name?"

"Brick House." Mike said, taking Jessie's other arm, and walking into the main area.

"Mike, I owe you one." Jessie said, as they found a seat.

"Why don't you just knock the little prick out?" Mike said, mildly annoyed, as Rick and Marcus sat down.

"It's not worth it." Jessie said, matter of factly.

"Hey, two ton! You bring every muscle head on the island?" Lucas said, suddenly finding his voice with Joe and two cousins with him.

"Ignore him, Jess." Marcus whispered, sipping the champagne.

"Come on, Lucas. She is your sister, after all." Joe said, getting a chuckle.

"No, she's the milkman's baby, aren't you? No way dad could make something like you." Lucas said, laughing.

"Funny, he made you, didn't he?" Elphaba said, bristling.

"Stay out of this, green bitch." Lucas said, as Jessie put down the champagne glass. She stood up, Marcus, Rick, and Mike doing the same.

"You can say whatever you want about me. One more word about Elphaba, and someone's going swimming." Jessie said, as fact.

"I'm with her. That's no way to treat a lady." Joe said, switching sides.

"You shouldn't even be here. You're not dad's daughter. You're a fucking embarassment. A screw up mom did before they got married." Lucas said, smirking, as Jessie's fists tightened at her side.

"Is there a problem here?" Paul asked, walking over.

"No, not at all, dad. Just welcoming Jessie to the dance." Lucas said, matter of factly.

"And I was asking this young lady for a dance." Joe said, looking at Elphaba.

"No, you were going to go back to the resort," Paul said, pointing at Joe, "And you are going to go back to your wife and keep your fucking mouth shut for the rest of the night, or else."

Lucas is shocked at his father's words he doesn't seem to have anything to say. "Dad, let us handle this. You know she doesn't belong here." Jan said, walking over.

"Yeah, Jessie, can't you see you're upsetting dad?" Lucas said, finding his voice once again.

"Jessie, sit down with your friends. She has as much business here as you do, Jan. Maybe more." Because of the low tones, no one had noticed the fight until the music stopped.

"More than me? Who walked out on you when she was 18?" Jan snipped.

"If I recall, Jan, you ran away from home at seventeen to shack up with that quarterback kid." Paul said.

"That was different…." Jan said, her voice fading as her face reddened.

"This is a fun family outing." Paul says, trying to save the moment before it deteriorated further.

"It was before the fuck up showed up with her girlfriend." Lucas said.

Sandy walked over angrily, "You are all embarrassing me! This is no way for a family to behave." She looked hard at Jessie. "Jessie, apologize to your brother and sister right now."

"Nope." Jessie said, matter of factly, as Elphaba took her hand. Elphaba's jaw dropped, as her mother slapped her across the face.

"I SAID APOLOGIZE!" Sandy screeched.

"I said no." Jessie said, not raising her voice.

Sandy pointed off of the boat. "Then get out of here. You've got to make a scene everywhere you go. You're no longer welcome here." Sandy said, angrily, "Taking advantage of your brother like this. After he went through all the trouble to bring you here. You get here and act like a child."

"He didn't buy a damn thing, Sandy. Jessie paid for all of this." Paul said, getting a laugh from the entire family.

"Oh, thank you, Paul. I needed a good laugh. Jessie couldn't afford to drive herself to the Arizona get together. How would she afford this?" Sandy said.

"Despite what you have been told, Mrs. Reynolds, she's not the failure you've heard she is." Elphaba said.

"Oh, I know she makes money from her little fights. But she puts that up her nose." Sandy said snobbily.

"I've never done drugs, mom." Jessie said, bracing for another slap.

When she swung, Elphaba caught her wrist. "You will NEVER touch your daughter like that again." Elphaba's face was blank, but her eyes were filled with anger.

Sandy was actually a little bit intimidated by that look, "Who do you think you are?"

"Someone who loves her." Elphaba said, letting go of Sandy's wrist, and linking Jessie's arm, "Let's go home, love."

"Good idea, it's not like anyone invited you people. Jessie could've left the trash back in the states and come alone." Lucas said, getting another laugh out of the family members in earshot.

"I invited her." Paul said, practically growling, "And if she's leaving, so am I." Paul said, putting his hand on Jessie's shoulder.

"OK, OK. This is getting out of control. Jessie, apologize and sit down." Sandy said, cutting her off.

"I'm not apologizing. I've done nothing wrong." Jessie said.

Sandy sighed, "Fine! Lucas, be the better man and apologize to your sister."

Lucas walked over with a smirk on his face. "Look, I'm sorry, two ton. I mean, I had no idea you were so sensitive."

"My name is Jessie or Blade or Miss Reynolds. Don't ever call me two ton again." Jessie said, glaring at her brother.

"Damn, loosen up, two ton! You know we're just teasing you." Lucas said, as though it were obvious.

"Fuck off." Jessie said, looking at her dad, "I'll stay."

"Thank you, sweety." Paul said, walking with her back to the table. Jessie stayed off the dance floor, watching Marcus, Mike, and Rick have a good time.

After an hour, Jessie looked at Elphaba. "Why don't you go dance, baby."

"I'm not interested in dancing with anyone but you." Elphaba said, taking her hand over the table. Jessie smiled at Elphie lovingly.

Joe walked over slowly, "Hey, Jessie, are you OK?" He asked, sitting between her and Elphaba.

"Yeah, I'm OK." Jessie said, matter of factly.

"And you, Elphaba?" He asked, his eyes focused on her chest.

"I'm fine, thank you. Something we can help you with?" Elphaba asked, nicely.

"No, I just wanted to check on you guys. I feel bad for you, Jess. That was completely uncalled for." Joe said. He sounded sincere, but his focus on Elphaba's chest irritated her.

"I'm sure. I appreciate you standing up for Elphaba though." Jessie said, sipping the champagne and looking at Elphaba, who had her club smile on.

"Appreciate it enough to let me have a dance?" He asked Jessie, but never stopped looking at Elphie's chest.

"Shouldn't you ask her." Jessie said, rolling her eyes.

"So, how about it?" Joe asked.

"No, thank you. I AM interested in dancing with my girlfriend though." Elphaba said, looking into Jessie's eyes.

"Oh, come on. It's an innocent dance. What do you have to loose?" Joe pleaded.

"Innocent? Is that why you've been staring at my chest since you sat down? Jessie, come on, I'd like to dance, please." Elphaba said getting up before Joe had a chance to protest.

"Of course." Jessie said, standing up to take her hand, as _Angel Eyes _began playing.

"Thank you." Elphaba said, laying her head on Jessie's shoulder. Jessie began to softly sing the lyrics, as they moved in perfect time to the music.

"_Don't anybody wake me, if it's just a dream. Oh, she's the best thing ever happened to me. All you fellows, you can look all you'd like. But this girl you see, she's leaving here with me tonight. Yeeeeah ahhh._" Jessie sang into her ear, meaning every word of it. She was surprised to feel tears on her shirt. Lifting her head slightly, Jessie looked into her eyes, "Are you OK, baby?"

"You mean that, don't you?" Elphaba asked, her voice tear filled.

"I do." Jessie said, kissing her forehead tenderly.

"Take me to the deck. I need some air." Elphaba said, suddenly wanting to be completely alone with Jess.

"Sure, my love." Jessie said, interlacing her arm with Elphie's, as they walked out, "Are you OK?" Jessie asked, as they walked to the rail. The moon was full, and the sky filled with stars.

"I'm fine. I just….wanted to get out of there." Elphaba explained, getting a nod.

"I know the feeling." Jessie pulled her close, as they looked over the water, "It's so peaceful out here tonight." Jessie commented, getting a nod.

"It is beautiful." Elphaba agreed, looking up into the sky.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for all of this." Jessie said, sadly.

Elphaba hugged her close. "Don't apologize for them. They need an apology for themselves." Elphaba said, kissing her softly.

"Oh, I really didn't want to see that." Jessie turned around, seeing Lucas.

"Then go back inside, with your wife." Elphaba said, flatly.

"You think you are so smart, don't you? I'm tempted to have you removed from the resort." Lucas said.

"Go ahead and try. Like it or not, I'm not going anywhere." Jessie said hugging Elphie closer.

"Now you're picking a pussy loving dyke over your family?" That was the last straw. Jessie let Elphaba go, grabbing him by the jacket. She lifted him up, dangling him over the side.

"You're crazy! I'm gonna sue your ass! You hear me, Jess?" Jessie backed up, letting him down next to the rail, "That's what I thought, you fucking coward." Instead of responding, Jessie landed an uppercut. Seconds later, Lucas landed in th water with a loud splash.

"I'll see you charged with assault over this, Jess." Jessie turned around, seeing Joe with his arm around Elphie.

"Let me go, before you regret it." Elphaba warned, shoving his arm back.

"Your girlfriend's going to jail when we get back on shore, so you might want to be nice to me." Joe said, grinning.

"You're right. I'm sorry, Joe. Come here." Elphaba said, shocking him. He walked closer, before she kneed him in the groin. Doubled over, Elphaba grabbed his jacket, tossing him over with a splash.

"Nice technique. I see Jessie showed you a few things." Jessie and Elphaba both turned, to see Paul.

"Sorry dad." Jessie said sheepishly.

Paul walked over to the edge and looked down at the two men treading water near the boat. He reached down and tossed a life preserver ring over for them to use."Don't be sorry. It's about fucking time you stood up for yourself." He said with a shrug before going back inside.

"What happened? Where's Lucas and Joe?" Sandy asked, worried.

"Don't worry. They both got a little tipsy. Fell off the deck." Paul said casually.

Sandy's jaw dropped. "Oh, no!"

Paul shook his head, "Don't worry, Sandy. We're right next to shore, they can swim. Besides, Jessie was kind enough to toss them a life preserver if they need it. Now dance with me." He said, leading her onto the floor.

Elphaba smirked as she looked at Jessie, "You are definitely like your father."


	23. Chapter 23

Jessie ran up behind Elphaba, lifting her in the air, and spinning her around, as they both laughed. They were in front of Kiamo Ko, and Elphaba felt so safe in her arms, she couldn't bring herself to care.

"This vacation was a wonderful idea, Mrs. Reynolds." Jessie said, smiling up at Elphaba. Elphaba could feel her heart racing. The smile on her face could have easily lit up a room.

()

"Mmmmm, Mrs Reynolds…." Elphaba mumbled in her sleep, a wide smile on her face.

Jessie looked down at her curiously. She had woken up a few hours before, and was sipping on a cup of coffee, watching Elphaba sleep. She blushed, hearing her name said like that. She still couldn't believe that Elphie had agreed to Marry her.

()

Elphaba next found herself standing on the veranda, allowing her to look over the mountain range. The sight was breathtaking, the sun slowly setting in the east, giving off a multicolored effect on the Ozian sky. Two hands on her shoulder nearly made her jump, until she realized it was Jessie.

"You're glowing as much as the sky is." Jessie said, her hands sliding down to the large buldge on Elphaba's stomach. Elphaba looked down, seeing a baby bump. Her hands slid to it, running over it slowly.

"Why wouldn't I be, love? I've never been happier in my life." She whispered, more in shock than anything.

()

The soft gasp that escaped Elphaba's lips had Jessie concerned. She paid attention to her physical reaction. No twitching, no tossing and turning. Her face looked more peaceful than Jessie had ever seen it before. Elphie wasn't in distress, so Jessie shrugged it off, wondering if she did similar when she was dreaming. Jessie smiled, seeing the one e-mail she had been waiting for since she arrived.

()

Elphaba had a smile on her face, as she watched Jessie chase a little girl around a grassy field. Every time Jessie got close, the girl managed to get away, and they both laughed. The third time Jessie almost had her, until she floated up. Elphaba suddenly found herself with her arms wrapped around the little girl.

"Oh, come on! I almost got away!" The little girl protested.

Jessie tsked, "You know floating isn't fair."

"Mommy always says to take every advantage in a contest." She said, sticking out her tongue.

Jessie began tickling her, "Now I gotcha!" Jessie said, laughing, as she continued to tickle her. It wasn't until the laughing girl looked up at her that Elphaba realized the girl had her eyes, and smile.

"Mom, tell mommy to let me go! This isn't fair." She protested.

"You know how to win a tickle fight, don't you? You tickle back!" Elphaba said, before pouncing with the girl on Jessie. They played in the field, all laughing.

()

Elphaba woke, tears in her eyes, and a wide smile on her face. The first face she saw was Jessie's, studying her.

"Good morning." Jessie said, a little concerned with the tears, but the smile offset that.

"Jessie…." Was all Elphaba said, before pulling her into a soft kiss. Jessie smiled, as Elphaba broke the kiss, still smiling.

"What was that for?" Jessie asked, smiling, but a bit confused.

"I had the most beautiful dream." Elphaba said, the tears falling.

"Must've been." Jessie said, nodding.

"Would you like to see it?" She asked.

Jessie raised her eyebrow, "You can do that?"

"Well while we were in school Glinda was teaching me mind reading and memory transference. I haven't done it since I've been on Earth, but I would love to try." Elphaba said, honestly hoping it would work. She would love Jessie to experience this wonderful dream.

"Knock yourself out." Jessie said, with a mix of curiosity and anticipation. Elphaba snaked her hands around Jessie's neck and face. Two of her fingers came to rest on Jessie's temples, as she looked deeply into Jessie's eyes.

Jessie gasped, seeing herself as Elphaba saw her. The gasp turned into a little giggle as she saw her hands caressing Elphaba's baby bump, and a wishful sigh as she saw herself rolling on the ground with a little girl that looked like a perfect combination of Elphaba and her. The girls skin was normal, a fact she knew Elphaba loved. When Elphaba broke the link, Jessie began crying.

"That was beautiful, Elphie." She said, though her sniffles.

"Yes, it was. I do believe it was the best dream I have ever had." She said, hugging Jessie, who hugged her back. Niether let go, until the phone rang. Elphaba laughed a little, before answering.

"Hello? Hello, Marcus. Your timing is perfect, as usual. What did you need. That sounds like fun. I'll ask her, hang on." Elphaba put the speaker to her chest, "Marcus wanted to know after the drama last night if you felt like getting some surfboards and wave runners and spending the day on the water." Elphaba said, grinning.

"That sounds like fun." _I'd rather spend the day in bed with Elphie, but she'd rather go surfing, I'm sure__._ Jessie thought to herself.

Elphaba smirked, before pulling the reciever back. "Yes, we'll meet you on the beach in a couple of hours." Elphaba said, hanging up. _If that's what you wanted, Jessie, you should have asked__._ Elphaba sent back, getting a wide eyed stare.

"How did you do that?" Jessie asked, confused and very embarrassed.

"The mental link has been established. All I have to do is tune into your thoughts, and I'll hear them." Elphaba explained, as Jessie pulled the blanket back over her head, and slinked down.

"I'm going to go ahead and die now. Give Marcus my regards." Jessie said, laughing nervously.

Elphaba laughed, pulling the blanket off. "I'm flattered, Jessie," Elphaba slid into bed next to her, "And I would choose you over surfing any day." Elphaba said, kissing her cheek, as Elphaba's arm draped over Jessie.

()

Jessie should have known when they said time on the beach, they didn't mean time on the actual beach. As soon as she got there, Josey dragged her down towards the water, to a waiting wave runner. Elphaba laughed at the sight of big Jessie being dragged down by this little five seven pencil thin girl wearing a light blue bikini.

"They are an odd couple, aren't they?" Mike said, laughing.

"Yeah, but look at the smile on Jessie. She wouldn't trade this for anything." Elphaba said, getting a nod.

"I know. We kid her, but it's so nice to see her so damn happy. I don't know what you did to our Jess, but I'm damn glad you did." Mike said, hugging her tightly.

"I'm glad, too." Elphaba said with a smile.

"Now that the mushy shit is over, how would you feel about burying your girlfriend in a few waves?" Mike asked.

"Now that sounds like fun." Elphaba said, racing with him to the other wave runner. She slid in the driver's seat, starting it up. A few minutes, and screams from Mike to slow down later, they blew past Jessie.

Jessie looked back at Josey. "You wanna catch her?"

"Let's do it!" Josey screamed, laughing. Jessie opened up the wave runner, chasing Elphie down. Elphie, let's race. Jessie sent, hearing a laugh.

Shouldn't you catch up to me before you challenge me? Elphaba sent, as Jessie blew past her, Josey screaming with glee.

"ELPHIE, SLOW DOWN!" Mike screamed, as Elphie cranked it even more. Jessie stopped fifty yards away, Elphie pulling straight next to her, "I'll take my chances swimming!" Mike said, diving off, as Elphie laughed.

"You wus!" She teased, getting flipped off, as he swam back to shore.

"OK, from here, around the beacon, and back to the beach." Jessie said.

"Josey, you want to ride with me?" Elphaba offered.

"HELL YEAH!" Josey said, jumping over to Elphie's machine.

"Thanks, sis." Jessie said, laughing.

"Don't blame the girl because she wants to ride with the winner." Elphaba said, getting a scoff.

"Don't take this ass whipping personally, Elphie." Jessie said, revving the engine.

"Three….Two…..GO!" Josie said, patting Elphie's shoulder. Jessie and Elphie were in a dead heat until the turn, where Jessie broke out a little bit. She sped towards the beach, watching Elphie trying to catch up. Thinking she had Elphie beat, she eased off the accelerator, as she approached the beach. She was shocked, when Elphaba not only caught up, but blew past her. Jessie leaned on the accelerator, catching up to make it a dead heat to the beach. Elphie inched her out, to Josey's delight.

"Nice riding, baby." Jessie said, as they pulled next to each other. She leaned in to kiss Elphie's cheek, and Elphie pulled her into the water with a laugh. When she came up, Elphie smiled at her.

"You're all wet if you thought you were going to beat me. I live for speed!" Elphaba said, shocked when she found herself in the water next to Jessie, and Josey speeding away on the jet ski. Jessie looked at her, and laughed with her.

"Should we go get her?" Jessie asked.

"Nah, we'll just keep an eye on her." Elphaba said, watching Josie doing tricks on it.

"I'd rather keep an eye on you." Jessie said, holding her from behind in the water, and kissing the back of her neck.

"I love it when you do that. Makes me feel special." Elphie said, wistfully, Jessie swam to the front, so she could look Elphie in the eyes.

"You are special. You're everything to me. Please don't ever forget that." The love in Jessie's eyes when she said it overwhelmed Elphie. She pulled her in, hugging her tightly, and kissing her passionately.

"Oh, get a room." Josey said, blowing past them, not that they heard it at all. They were completely lost in each other.

()

Jessie was laughing, watching Mike and Rick wipe out from the beach. She rubbed some more suntan lotion on, watching her family play and have fun in the water. To her that's what this was, she remembered her grandma telling her some families you're born into and some families you choose. Her grandmother always knew what to say and when to say it. Jessie wished she had that ability, but only for a moment before Marcus trying to build a sandcastle with Elphie caught her attention. Actually, it was the four letter words coming out of Marcus's mouth that caught her attention, as the third tower he had built fell.

"No good piece of shit." He said, kicking the other tower down.

"Relax, Marcus, this is supposed to be fun." Elphie said, patting him on the shoulder.

"To the four year olds that know how to do this shit, maybe." Marcus growled. Elphaba couldn't help but laugh, as he laughed at himself, "I am taking this far too seriously, aren't I?"

"Yes, you are. But you're amusing, so it's passable." Elphie said, patting his shoulder.

"Gee, thanks." Marcus said, laughing, as Josey dragged Elphaba off. Seeing his chance, and Jessie tanning alone, he walked over.

"Lay down, you're in my sun." Jessie said, with an over exaggerated sigh. Marcus laughed, sitting next to her.

"You know, Miss Rich Bitch doesn't really suit you." Marcus said, sitting next to her.

"Yeah, I know. Just trying it out." Jessie said, sitting up with him.

"There's a nasty rumor going around. Something about you and Elphaba becoming partners." Marcus said, looking at her sternly.

"Who told you?" Jessie asked.

"Josey, last night." Marcus said.

Jessie grinned sheepishly, "Yeah, it's true. I asked Elphie to be my partner, and she said yes."

"Jessie, she's not your partner. I'm your partner. She's your wife. What the fuck is this partner bullshit." Marcus said.

"I just….I didn't know if she'd be comfortable calling herself my wife. Partner seemed like the better choice of words at the time." Jessie admitted.

"Jessie, Elphie is a lady. You're gonna slight her if you make her feel like she's just your partner." Marcus said.

"It's just the title Marcus. I'm not even sure Elphie cares." Jessie said, thinking on his words.

"She cares, even if she doesn't admit it. She knows how much you love her, Jessie, but the last thing you want is her thinking that she's just your partner. You want her to know that no one exists in your eyes but her. She deserves that, you know." Marcus said, getting a nod.

"Marcus, she's everything to me." Jessie said.

Marcus looked at Jessie calmly, "I know that. You're everything to her, too. She deserves the best, Jessie. You give it to her in everything, and skimp now?"

That comment really hit home for her. "You're right. I need to fix this."

"So get her alone and do that. The concierge said there's a waterfall on the other side of the island. Why don't you break her away from Josey, and head out there. She loves nature, she'll eat up all that romantic crap." Marcus said, his usual gruffness returning, getting a chuckle.

"I love you, Marcus." Jessie said, hugging him tightly.

"Get outta here, damn it. I'm a tough guy, I'm not allowed to be all mushy and shit." Marcus said, patting her back, "I love you, too, Jess." Marcus watched her walk off towards Elphie, feeling a certain amount of pride. He'd watched her go from an insecure shy kid to a more confident, stronger woman. Even more so since Elphaba's arrival into their little family. He couldn't help but be proud of her.

()

Josey had led Elphie away from the group to just chat with her for a bit. "So, since you are going to be my sister in law eventually. I am going to start calling you sister...or Elphie."

Elphaba blushed softly, "Thank you, I am honored that you think so highly of me Josey."

Josey's smile became a bit more serious. "So sis...I never had an opportunity to really thank you for saving me."

Elphaba similed softly, "You are welcome Josey. I am glad I saved you too. I really enjoy spending time with my sister."

Josey hugged Elphaba tightly, she pulled back after a few minutes. "I'm glad to hear that sis. Cause, you can't get rid of me now." Her smile slowly disappears, "Can you promise me one thing though?"

Elphaba nodded her head, "Of course Josey, what is it?"

"Promise me that you will keep Jess safe? I know she's a tough girl, but sometimes she really gets into some tight fixes." Josey didn't want to admit it, but she was really worried about Jessie getting hurt one of these days outside of the fight ring.

Elphaba nodded her head slowly, "I promise Josey, I will keep her safe."

Josey's smile returned before she laughed softly, "Enough with the heavy, let's race the jetski's."

Elphaba's grin matched Josey's, "You are on sister."

They both raced off towards the jestki's in the water.

()

Jessie walked hand in hand with Elphaba through the lush woods. She couldn't help but smile at how taken Elphaba was with the nature they were walking though. She looked like a kid in a candy store, and Jessie was loving every second of it.

"I can't believe how beautiful this is, Jessie. It's like the hotel and civilization just don't exist out here." Elphaba said, cuddling into Jessie's side.

Jessie kissed her head, "That it does."

"Oh, sweet Oz, look at that." Elphaba breathed, looking at the waterfall. It was amazing, the water cascading around a hundred feet down a natural cliff face into a crystal blue water lagoon.

"That is incredible." Jessie said, as they approached the water. Jessie took off her shirt, revealing a sports bra, and laid it on the ground for Elphie to sit on.

"Almost as incredible as you are." Elphie said.

Jessie slid behind her, holding her close. "Baby, be honest with me. You know what I meant when I said partner, right?"

"Of course, my love. You meant you want me to be by your side for the rest of your life." Elphie said, her voice softer than it had ever been before.

"I'm not sure what they call it in Oz, but here it's called a wife. I want you to be my wife, Elphie. I want the first thing I see in the morning to be your smile and the last thing I do at night to be thanking God for the privilage."

Her words stunned Elphaba into silence. She had always dreamed of being loved like that. She thought she had, but it wasn't to be. She knew Fiyero loved her, why else would he sacrifice his life for her? As much as she had wanted him, she couldn't deny that her love for him wasn't what she thought it was. He didn't make her feel how Jessie made her feel with just a glance. Elphaba turned into her, looking at her.

"I love you, Jessie." Was all she could say, buring her head in the nape of Jessie's neck. Finally she was able to form a few more words, "I would be honored to be your wife Jessie."

Jessie breathed a sigh of relief when she heard that, "Thank you my love."

Elphaba pulled Jessie into a gentle kiss. She pulled back slightly with a grin, "Come with me Jessie, I want to share something special with you."

Jessie smiled brightly at that, "I will follow you anywhere my love."

Elphaba grinned as she took Jessie's hand and led her around the lagoon near the waterfall. Her suspicions were right, there was a path leading up to a ledge under the waterfall. She began climbing the path with a wide smile on her face. There was a wide ledge just below the top of the eighty foot falls. Elphaba had the widest smile on her face as she waited for Jessie to join her.

Jessie wondered what Elphie had in mind. When she saw Elphie climbing the steep path up to the ledge, she began to get nervous. She had to say she would follow Elphie anywhere didn't she? However, watching Elphie climbing in that very sexy black bikini was very enticing. Swallowing her fears, Jessie begins to climb up behind Elphie. Once she gets to the ledge she presses her back against the cold rock wall as she looks at Elphie, "So, was this the adventure you had planned?"

Elphaba grinned as she let her toes hang over the edge of the rock ledge. She looked down into the clear water and saw that it was indeed safe to cliff dive from here. She turns to look at Jessie, "Not quite my love."

Elphaba walks to Jessie and slowly guides her away from the wall. Backing up until her feet are hanging off of the rock ledge. "Dive with me my love. It is safe, all you have to do is step off and I will be waiting below."

Jessie's eyes go wide when she hears Elphie's words, why did she have to be terrified of heights? "C-can't we just fly down instead?"

Elphaba shook her head slowly before planting a gentle kiss on Jessie's lips. "I love you." Before Jessie could protest, Elphaba hopped off of the ledge and gracefully dove into the cool water below.

Jessie watched as Elphaba dove off of the cliff. Her heart was racing and she was nervous as hell, but Jessie trusted that Elphie knew what she was doing. Before she could talk herself out of it, Jessie took a deep breath and stepped off of the ledge. The adrenaline raced through her body as she fell towards the water. She landed in the water with a splash.

Elphaba was waiting for her underwater and pulled her into a deep kiss. _That was perfect Jessie._


	24. Chapter 24

Jessie woke up earlier than usual, it was hard to say there was a reason or not. If Jessie had a nightmare, she didn't remember it. She could still feel the adrenaline pumping a little hard from the eighty foot cliff jump, which was the last thing she thought about when she fell asleep. Whatever the reason was, Jessie intended to take full advantage of it. She quickly got dressed and ordered breakfast for them. Getting her guitar from it's case she went out on the balcony hiding it behind some potted trees. She dragged the kitchen table out there, positioning it for the perfect view. When the food was delivered, she set the table leaving the trays covered. She poured orange juice into two champagne flutes, before going to wake up Elphaba. She gently shook Elphie the rose from the tray in her hand.

"Jess?" Elphaba asked, half asleep.

"Yeah, baby. Good morning." Jessie said, kneeling next to the bed and presented the rose.

"Thank you." Elphie said, blushing a little.

"You're welcome." Jessie said, getting Elphie's robe. She held it out for her, as she stepped into it. "I've got breakfast on the balcony. I'd love you to join me." Jessie asked, offering her arm. Elphie took it, letting Jessie lead her to the balcony.

"Jessie, it's perfect." She said, admiring the view of the beach and water from their balcony. Jessie pulled out her chair for her, before sitting next to her. Elphaba sipped the juice from the champagne flute, leaning on Jessie's shoulder with a wide smile, "So what brought this on?"

"I wanted to watch the sunrise with my future wife." Jessie said, bringing her hand up and kissing it tenderly.

Elphaba blushed lightly, "I can get used to that title."

"You need to. You're going to be called that for the rest of your life," Jessie said, kissing her cheek, "I bet you didn't know the hotel provided entertainment with room service." Jessie said, getting up.

"No, I didn't see that in the brochure." Elphaba quipped, until she saw Jessie sit across from her, holding a guitar. A small smile crossed her face at the sight.

"Now, I've been practicing, but I'm still extremely rusty." Jessie warned her, before starting to play _Thank You For Loving Me_ from Bon Jovi. Jessie sang it, her voice cracking and no where near on pitch, but that didn't seem to bother a gushing Elphaba. She was absolutely glowing when Jessie started singing. She couldn't imagine anyone even willing to brave humiliation to do something so charming. By the end of the song, they were both in tears. As soon as Jessie put the guitar down, Elphaba jumped into her arms and held her tight.

()

Jessie looked at the course, as they approached, with a wide smile. It reminded her a lot of her training at basic. The obstacle were very similar, and so was the wall climb she could see from there. The only thing she didn't care for was that high ropes course at the very end. Maybe she could back out of that, Jessie turned and saw Elphaba's excited face. _Or not__,_ she thought to herself as the hotel bus pulled to a stop.

"This is so awesome." Jessie said, helping Elphie down.

"It looks like a lot of fun." Elphaba agreed, as the others got off. Jessie offered a hand to Josey, and got it slapped away.

"I'm not that old, maw maw." Josey said, cracking everyone up.

"You're funny." Jessie said, laughing with the others.

"OK, guys, we need to break into two man teams. I'm thinking Elphie and Jess, Mike and Rick, and me and Josey." Marcus said, getting a chuckle.

"Elphie might not like that. She hates to loose. How about you team with Rick or me. That way you have a fifty fifty shot of winning." Mike said.

"She's my fiancee, she's teaming with me." Jessie said, matter of factly.

"Besides, we're going to kick your ass." Elphie said, snuggling into Jessie's side.

"Are you delusional? Look at that course. No girl could possibly conquer it on her own." Rick said, with a scoff.

"Oh, really? Losers streak the beach at midnight.." Elphaba suggested, with a wicked smirk.

"I've always wanted to see you naked. You're on." Mike said, smirking confidently.

"On second thought, why don't Josey and I sit that one out. We can judge this little cock swinging contest." Marcus said, getting a nod from Josey, as the others headed to the suit up area.

"Marc, I thought you said this was team building." Josey said, still listening to the four of them talking smack.

"This is team building. Look at them, have you ever seen them more united?" Marcus said, proudly.

Josey shook her head. "If this is unity, I hate to see what you consider bickering."

"Just watch, sweetie. Competition, for these three, is uniting." Marcus said, as the four of them walked over, still talking mess.

"Do we have to do the wires?" Jessie said, her stomach turning just from the thought.

"Come on, Jess, it'll be fun." Elphie said, getting a chuckle from Rick.

"Yeah, come on, wus. You really want your girlfriend streaking the beach at midnight?" Rick taunted.

"Actually, I'm thinking we'll leave you two so far in the dust that I'll find a way to get myself up there before you two finish part one." Jessie said, getting an 'ohhhhh' from Josey.

"Yeah, we'll see about that." Mike said, stretching, as the course assistant came over.

"Here are the rules. You and your partner must work together to overcome the eight obstacles and the high ropes course. An obstacle will not be considered complete until both partners have cleared it. Is that understood?"

"Yes, sir." Jessie said, as everyone else nodded.

"Good, your time for each obstacle will be recorded. Your time is important, but how you work as a unit is even more important. You will be scored points based on time, teamwork, and efficiency. Part one is a ground course consisting of eight obstacles. The other is a a one hundred foot ropes course, right over there." The man said, pointing to it. Jessie actually paled when he said one hundred feet.

"Wanna give it up now, Jess?" Rick said, tauntingly.

"You wish." Jessie said, shaking it from her thoughts. One thing Sonya taught her was tackle one thing at a time. Deal with it when it comes, not before.

Elphaba could feel the fear coming from her, and wrapped an arm around her, "You can do this, my love. It's just like flying on my broom." She whispered, getting a weak nod in response.

"I know, angel." Jessie said, kissing her softly.

"Now that the rules have been established, let me show you the proof. Each obstacle and checkpoint has two of these flags." He held up one blue and one red, "You will collect each flag off the obstacle upon completion. Be very careful. Any flags you loose will count as obstacle failure. Do you understand?"

"Yes, sir." Jessie said, as the others nodded.

"Good. Take your positions, and wait for the gunshot. Good luck to both teams." As the man walked away, Jessie and Elphie and Mike and Rick shook hands.

"Good luck, guys." Jessie said, as her and Elphie took position. When the gun sounded, they ran full sprint towards the log hurdles.

"You take high, I'll take low." Elphaba said, getting a nod from Jessie. Elphie crouch walked under the obstacle, as Jessie hurdled them high. Seeing the strategy, the boys followed suit. They grabbed the flags at almost the same time, and headed to the second obstacle. They had gotten four obstacle in, before they ran into their first problem.

"What the hell is this shit?" Mike asked, winded, as he looked at the thin barbed wire hanging inches from the ground.

"You have to crawl on your hands and knees to get through it." Jessie said, as they waited for Rick and Elphaba to navigate the tire rings.

"I've never done that." Mike said, looking defeated.

"It's easy. Come on, I'll show you." Jessie said, demonstrating it for him, as Elphie and Rick approached.

"They want us to go under that?" Rick asked Elphie.

"I guess so." Elphie said, watching Jessie show Mike.

"Think you can do that?" Rick asked.

"We'll find out." Elphaba said, seeing Jessie inch Mike through the barbed wire. They grabbed the flags on the other side, as Rick and Elphie took position, and started.

()

Josey and Marcus sat in the office, watching them on closed circuit TV. Josey had a wide smile on her face, watching Jessie be Jessie, even if it did slow her down.

"I see what you mean, Marc. Did you know they would do that?" She asked.

"Yeah, I did. They might be competing, but they are family first, always." He said, watching Rick and Elphie complete the obsticle with no problems.

()

"Where did you learn that?" Mike asked Jessie, as she easily navigated the log maze.

"Basic, dude." Jessie said, turning to see Elphaba stumble. Before she could fall, Rick caught her.

"Thanks." Elphaba said, getting a nod.

"Don't thank me, I'm still gonna smoke you." Rick said, winking. They cleared the obstacle, and headed towards the rope swings. Making it through those, they made it to the monkey bars. Jessie could feel her arms getting sore as they continued. By the time they got to the wall, Jessie was struggling hard to get up. She slipped down twice, watching Mike get higher.

To everyone's surprise, and Rick's protests, Mike slid back down. "Get on my back, Jess. I gotcha." Jessie looked at him, panting a little, but did what she was told. Mike carried her fifty feet up the rope, helping her get to the top.

"Thanks, dude." Jessie said, giving him a hug.

"You OK?" Mike asked, concerned.

"Yeah, I'm just tired. My arms feel like they're going to fall apart." Jessie said, trying to shake some feeling into them.

"I know how you feel. Mine are like Jello right now. Good thing all that's left is the ropes course." Mike said, getting a loud groan.

"Not looking forward to that." Jessie could see it a few feet away.

"Don't worry. You'll be fine." Mike said, patting her shoulder. Elphaba completed the wall with far fewer problems, with Rick right behind her. They rappelled at nearly the same time, and made it to the ropes course. Jessie swallowed hard, as they connected the safety devices.

"You're sure this is going to hold me?" Jessie asked, jokingly, although the panic in her eyes was obvious.

"Absolutely. The last person weighed nearly three fifty." He assured her, before checking Elphie's harness. Jessie looked up at the course, swallowing hard.

"You can do this." Elphaba whispered, kissing her softly.

"Thank you, angel." Jessie said, her voice shaking. She started on the course right after Elphaba. As the course and challenges got higher, Jessie became even more shaky.

"Come on, Jess. Just like I did it." Elphie said, seeing her hesitate at the thought of crossing the shaky plank bridge.

"Elphie...I...I can't." Jessie said, trying not to look down.

"Trust me, Jessie. Just take that first step. That's all you need to do. Just take that step." Elphie said, as Jessie swallowed hard.

She shakily put her foot forward, whimpering as the board almost slipped out from under her foot. She pulled back, in tears.

"I...I can't." Jessie said, trembling. Instead of saying anything, Elphaba crossed back over, taking Jessie's hand.

"Together. We'll do this together." Elphie said, getting a shaky nod. Just seeing Jessie this terrified was tearing her heart out.

"It's OK, Jess. You can do it. Elphie's right there, and I'm right behind you." Rick said, as him and Mike crossed over from their matching course to their platform.

"We've got you." Mike said, comfortingly, his hand taking Jessie's shoulder.

()

"Come on, let her down. Don't you see she's scared to death?" Josey said, pacing the floor of the office.

"We can't do that until she says she wants to come down. Part of this course is facing your fears. Everything is perfectly safe, and your friend will be just fine." Josey spun around, looking up at the six foot tall muscular Samoan instructor in charge of the course.

"She's not my friend, she's my sister. Get her down from there right now!" Josey said, standing on her toes and staring him in the eyes.

"Don't sell your sister short. Her friends certainly aren't." The man said, motioning back to the monitors. Marcus, who had been in the bathroom, walked out in time to see Josey looking back. Instead of saying anything, he hugged Josey from behind.

"She's not a quitter, Josey. The last thing she would ever want is for you to give up on her." Marcus said.

"She's so scared, Marc." Josey said softly.

"I know, but she's not a quitter, Josey. Look." Marcus said, as he watched the four of them cross together.

()

"You have lost this obstacle, because you have all broken the rules." The referee informed them, as the four stepped onto the platform.

"Some things are more important than winning." Mike said, hugging Jessie tightly, and kissing her head.

"The zip line and the finish line are the only obstacles remaining. If you want to..." The referee began.

"No, we finish together." Jessie said, getting a nod from the other three.

"This is a first." The man said, strapping Elphaba in. She went down first, flying through the trees with a delighted laugh. Jessie followed behind her, eyes closed. Mike and Rick were next. Instead of a winner, the four of them walked across the finish line arm in arm.

"Thanks, guys." Jessie said, hugging all three of them, as they returned it.

Josey ran over, jumping on Jessie, "You're OK?"

"I'm fine, sis." Jessie said, kissing her head, as the course director walked over.

"We've calculated your scores." He said, handing the envelope to Marcus, who ripped it up.

"Why did you do that?" The director asked, curiously.

"Look at those four. You tell me who the losers in this group are." Marcus said matter of factly, getting a nod. The director walked off.

"Shit." Mike said, kicking the dirt.

"What's wrong, Mikey?" Jessie asked, worried.

"Now I'm never gonna see Elphie naked." He said, smirking, as they all laughed.

()

It was several hours before Jessie convinced everyone that she was OK enough to be alone. It had taken so much time in fact, she almost didn't have time to do what she had really planned on tonight. She changed into a nice shirt and slacks, even putting on a tie. All she had told Elphaba was she was taking her out. It was all the encouragement Elphaba needed to not ask questions. Doing one last check in the mirror, Jessie stepped out of the bedroom.

When Jessie walked out, she froze when she saw Elphie. Elphie was wearing a skin tight little black dress that hit her just above the knee, had a low v-neckline, and was sleeveless. It seemed to be custom made to fit Elphaba's body the way it hugged her curves, and had Jessie drooling.

"You look amazing." Jessie said, almost floating on air, as she went to Elphie's side. She tilted Elphie's head up slightly, and kissed her softly on the lips.

"Thank you, love. So do you." Elphaba said, leaning into Jessie. Jessie's arm slipped around her waist, as they headed out and to the lobby. When they arrived there, Jessie already didn't like the look on the concierge's face.

"Miss Reynolds, I'm sorry. The reservations you made have been pushed back by thirty minutes. I can cancel and refund them if you'd like." He offered, apologetically.

"No, it's no problem. We can wait." Jessie said, graciously, getting a sigh of relief.

"May I suggest the resort lounge. I believe it's Karaoke night." The man said.

"I'm not sure about that." Jessie said, truthfully.

"Oh, come on, Jess, it sounds like fun." Elphaba said, getting a shrug, as Jessie looks at the concierge.

"I am helpless to refuse her." She said, getting a knowing smile.

"Please inform the bartender your drinks are compliments of the resort. Again I apologize, Miss Reynolds. It's normally not a problem." He apologized once again.

"Hey, I work for a living, too. I understand, and it's no problem." Jessie said, leading Elphie towards the lounge. Ordering two margaritas, they grabbed two seats, and watched the show, laughing at some of the horrible singing, but applauding for everyone, anyway, "You were right, this is fun." Jessie said, kissing her hand.

"I told you." Elphaba said, scooting closer. Jessie's face fell, seeing Joe take the stage.

"Hey, guys, there is a travesty in Hawaii tonight. This incredibly hot woman won't grant me a date. Elphaba, this is for you." He said with a wink. Jessie rolled her eyes, hearing the beginning chords to _Jessie's Girl _coming over the speakers.

She started to get up, and Elphaba stood up, pulling her down. "It's not worth it, my love. Don't let him ruin our evening." Elphaba said, kissing her on the cheek.

"The hell it isn't. He just asked you out knowing we're together." Jessie said, furious.

"Do you trust me?" Elphaba asked, getting a nod.

"With my life." Jessie said, getting a soft kiss.

"Then let me handle this." Elphaba said, as the song ended.

"So, how about it. Have dinner with me tonight." Joe asked, inviting her onstage. Elphaba walked up with a grace that had everyone in the room awed. A couple of the more intoxicated patrons whistled appreciatively at her dress. She stopped at the DJ's table and whispered a request. He smiled and nodded. With a wink to him, she continued confidently to the stage, picking up the microphone.

"Wow! I certainly didn't expect to be pursued in such a public venue. It makes me wonder if your intentions were to ask me out or to embarrass my beautiful fiance Jessie. Either way, I suppose I should give you an answer, shouldn't I?" Elphaba said, giving the signal to the DJ. When Jessie heard the beginning chords to _You and Your Hand_ from Pink, she nearly died laughing. She couldn't have been prouder of Elphaba, or more honored.

Joe looked like a gaping fish as Elphaba performed the song as her answer. His face bright red from embarrassment. By the end of the song, Elphaba was back at their table, sitting on Jessie's lap.

"I love you, Elphie." Jessie said, loud enough for the microphone to pick up.

"More than anything, Jessie." Elphaba said, as the attendant picked up the microphone from their table.

"Are you ready to go?" Jessie asked, seeing the manager motioning to them. Elphaba nodded. Instead of letting her get up, Jessie lifted her into her arms, and carried her out.

Most people were stunned. Joe was a very handsome man, far more so than the woman carrying Elphaba out.


	25. Chapter 25

AN: Thank you to all of the people that have been reading, and Especially Coming and Going by Bubble, Hidden Poet, Johnny Cage, and Maddie Fae for the Awesome reviews. This chapter marks the end of Part One. Part Two will be up shortly, and takes place in *dum dum duuum* Oz! :) There's also a poll, just because we were curious. With that said, enjoy!

CK and MIM

Jessie woke up, sliding out of bed carefully. After the romantic dinner and dancing on the pier, she knew Elphie was exhausted. She got her notebook out, and poured a cup of coffee. Unable to resist, she looked at the pictures she had posted to her Facebook page yesterday. The one of her, Elphie, Josey, Mike, Rick, and Marcus in front of the course to be exact. She smiled brightly, seeing how happy they all looked. It looked like one big happy family. Given the nature of her own, it was the first time she really realized how different her life had become. Even her fans commented on how happy they all looked, even if Jessie did look a little pale. A knock on the door brought a raised eyebrow. Jessie wasn't expecting anyone, but she didn't want the knocking to wake up Elphaba. She answered the door, and the sight on the other side made her jaw drop.

"Patty?" Jessie said, her voice cracking.

"My number one fan." Patty said, smiling brightly.

Jessie didn't hesitate, pulling her into a tight hug. "Oh, God, Patty." Jessie said, excitedly.

"It's been a long time, hasn't it, Jess? Can I come in?" She asked, looking around inside.

"Too long, Patty. Come on in." Jessie said, closing the door behind her, "Have you had breakfast yet?"

"Not yet, but I'll get some with Gary later." Patty said shyly.

Hearing his name, Jessie's fists clinched involuntarily. "You're not still with that scuz, are you?" Jessie asked, disappointed.

"Please, don't start." Patty pleaded.

The look in her eyes was one Jessie could never refuse. "It's dropped. At least have some coffee with me, Cuz."

"Well, let me tell you why I'm here first. Then you can tell me if you still want me to have coffee." Patty said, sitting down.

Ignoring the comment Jessie went to the kitchen, and poured two cups of coffee. "I don't care what you're here for, I'm just happy you're here." Jessie said, hugging her again.

Patty wrung her hands together nervously, "Well, Gary wanted me to talk some sense into you about dating another woman."

"I love her, Cuz. She's the best thing that's ever happened to me." Jessie said, _please let Patty not agree with that dirtbag this time._

"I know. I saw you two at Karaoke last night. She's a funny lady." Patty said, laughing.

"Yeah, she is, isn't she?" Jessie said, sipping the coffee.

"He's a minister now. His personal crusade to rid the world of Evil." Patty said, rolling her eyes.

"Then he should commit suicide," Jessie said, getting a frown from Patty, "Is he still beating you?"

"It's not like it used to be, Jess. He's toned it down, and he's getting better." Patty tugged on the edge of her sweater.

"Patty, if it's still going on after almost a decade, it's not getting better." Jessie said, worriedly.

"Jessie, it's OK. It's only sometimes, when I step out of line." Patty said.

Jessie frowned up even more at that. "There shouldn't be a line, cuz. I should've killed him the first time he did it in front of me." Jessie said, matter of factly, and trying not to cry.

"I asked you not to, Jessie. He's expecting me back soon. I don't want to waste the little time we have fighting. How did you two meet?" Patty asked.

"In Vegas, at a diner before the fight." Jessie knew she was fighting a loosing battle, and they hadn't seen each other since she was eighteen, "What about you, cousin. Any little ones or anything running around?" Jessie asked.

"I miscarried four times. No such luck, but I would love one." She said, truthfully.

"Shit, Cuz, I didn't know. I'm sorry." Jessie said, hugging her tightly.

"You couldn't have, don't worry about it. I made my peace with it. Besides, and keep this under your hat, I'm leaving him soon. I met a wonderful guy in the Navy." She said with a small smile.

"Cousin, I'll help you. I'll pay your way out to wherever you want. I'll buy you a house, cash. Please, please don't go back with him." Jessie said, holding her even tighter.

"That's sweet, Jessie, but you can't afford that. I love you for the offer, though." Patty said, hugging her back.

"Actually, she can." Elphaba said, walking out from behind them.

"You're Elphaba, right?" Patty asked, getting a nod.

"Right now, I'm sleepy. Would you like another cup of coffee?" Elphaba asked.

"Yes, I would. Thank you." She said, getting a nod from Elphaba, as she collected both cups.

"She's right. What I paid for everyone's vacation I could've easily set you up. Thanks to Elphie I still can." Jessie said, matter of factly.

"I can't use you like that, Jess. I'll find my own way." Patty said.

"Like hell you will." Elphaba said, appearing with three cups of coffee.

"Ma'am, you don't understand. People have been using Jessie her whole life. I don't want to be one of them." She said, flatly.

"You're not, though. Do you know what Jessie does with her fighting money?" Elphaba asked, curiously.

"I would hope keeps it." She said, looking at Jessie.

"No. It all goes into a fund I set up a few months ago for the benefit of abused women's shelters all over the country, among other charities. I can take from that fund, and set you up in whatever city you'd like." Elphaba said.

"Jessie, she's serious?" Patty asked.

"As a heart attack. I'll even pay all of your utilities, cable, car, car insurance. Everything until you get on your feet. Please, Cuz, he's going to kill you one day." Jessie said, worriedly.

"I thought he had. You're the only real friend I had, Jess. I didn't know if you'd invite me in or slap the taste out of my mouth. I just knew I had lost you." She said, getting pulled into a tight hug.

"You'll never loose me, Patty. I love you too much to let you go like that. So, what do you say?" Jessie asked.

"I say when do I leave?" Patty said, crying a little. Jessie smiled brightly, a few tears of her own falling.

()

Jessie had a huge smile on her face on the limo ride back to the hotel. It had taken Elphaba all of two hours to work everything out with the attorney. The pictures of Patty's numerous bruises were more than enough to convince him to get her off the island and into hiding as quickly as possible. She had a hotel room in the lawyer's name on the main island, and it would take a few days to get all of the final details worked out, but she would have her own house outside of Nashville, like she always wanted.

"Baby, you are brilliant." Jessie said, kissing Elphie softly, as they walked into the resort. To no one's surprise, Gary was waiting for them.

"Where is she?" He said, grabbing Jessie by the shirt.

"Where's who?" Jessie asked, a smirk on her face. He backed Jessie against the wall. Seeing Elphie about to do something, Jessie shook her head. Instead of intervening, she went to the front desk and called attention to the scene.

"Where's my wife, you freak." He demanded, inches from Jessie's face.

"Don't know. Haven't seen her since this morning." Jessie said, not at all apologetically.

"You know. No one else would dare to try to pull something like this. She's mine." He growled.

"Not anymore, huh?" Jessie whispered, so only Gary could hear, "Let me go, please!" Jessie screamed at the top of her lungs, seeing security coming over his shoulder. She saw him raise his fist, and braced for the impact. He managed to land one punch before security pulled him off. Jessie took it with no reaction at all, as the security team took him down.

"Are you OK?" Elphaba asked, seeing Jessie staring down at him.

"I'm fine." Jessie said, as security handcuffed him, and pulled him up. The manager ran over.

"Miss Reynolds, I am so sorry." The manager said.

"Don't worry about it." Jessie said, dismissively.

"Violence isn't tolerated on resort grounds. He'll be removed immediately." The manager said, as Lucas walked over.

"What's going on here?" Lucas asked.

"Miss Reynolds was assaulted." The manager said.

"We want to press full charges on him." Elphaba said, as Gary glared at both of them like he wanted to kill them.

"You can't do that. He's family, Jessie." Lucas said.

"Maybe to you. He's a shitbag to me." Jessie said, shaking off the powerful urge to beat him into a pulp.

"What about poor Patty? What's she going to do if you put him in jail?" Lucas asked.

"God willing, move on with her life." Jessie said.

"You're cold blooded. Let him go!" Lucas demanded, being ignored, as Sandy walked over.

"Jessie, what did you do?" She said, accusingly.

"I didn't do anything. Gary assaulted me." Jessie said.

"It's just like you to ruin the last day of our celebration." Sandy said, scoffing. Elphaba bristled at that, but held her tongue for now.

"Miss Reynolds, would you prefer to wait in the office?" The Manager asked.

"Thank you, Miguel. I think I will." Jessie said, getting ready to walk off, when her mother grabbed her.

"I want her gone!" Sandy demanded, getting an odd look from the manager.

"Ma'am, your daughter was minding her own buisness when this man came from nowhere and assaulted her." The manager explained.

"He has more buisness here than she does. My son wants him to stay and her to go. He's paying for this vacation." Sandy said angrily.

"Ma'am, I'm afraid you've been misinformed. All expenses for you and your family, including all activities and meals, were paid by Jessica Reynolds some four months ago." Sandy looked at Jessie in shocked silence, "Frankly, we've had reports of loud noise and crying from his room for several days now, and have had to intervene on behalf of other guests. In fact, Jessie, if you'd like, I can give the police the reports and security footage."

"I would appreciate that. If you've had reports, why didn't you eject him long before now?" Jessie asked, getting a shy shrug, as he led her and Elphaba off.

"I didn't want to loose your business, Miss Reynolds. I was trying to handle it discreetly and internally." He said.

"I understand, but if you ever have a problem with a guest of mine again, don't hesitate to call the police. You'll be doing me a huge favor." Jessie said, getting a nod, as the manager shut the door to the office. Elphaba was already on the phone to the lawyer.

Jessie made it back to the room after four hours of being questioned and verified by the police, to find Elphaba waiting. Jessie smiled, holding her close.

"What took so long?" Elphaba asked, worriedly.

"Nothing. I just refused to tell the police where Patty was. The lawyer got it all resolved, and the officer is making sure that Gary is being held without bail." Jessie said with a grin.

"That's a relief." Elphaba said, sitting on the couch with Jessie.

"You still want to do the family dinner? I'm warning you, I'm not going to be very popular for this." Jessie said.

"Well, Jessie, you really weren't all that popular with them before." Elphaba said, chuckling a little.

"This is true." Jessie said, pulling Elphie into her arms.

"If it matters, I'm very proud of you." Elphaba said.

Just hearing those words had Jessie in tears. "My love, that's all that matters."

()

Jessie knew this was a bad idea. A black tie dinner with her entire family. Elphaba was dressed to the nines for the occasion, with Jessie wearing her tux. They could both hear the whispers and comments when they walked in, but it wasn't like they didn't hear it at the first dinner, too. Once that sat down, and the first course was brought out, it seemed there was little anyone had to say. Jessie could feel the tension in the room.

"Baby, I'm going back to the room." Jessie said, finishing the last bite of her salad.

"No, you aren't." Elphaba said, standing up, and tapping her wine glass.

The room fell absolutely silent at the sound of metal hitting a glass. Elphaba took a deep breath before smiling at the room. "Good evening. I wanted to take this opportunity to say a few things. First I would like to thank Paul Reynolds for being so kind to me ever since I arrived on this island. I can see where Jessie gets her caring heart from. I wish both you and your wife have a long and loving marriage."

She raised her glass in respect before continuing, "To the rest of you...people who claim to be a 'family'. I pity you for being so full of yourselves that you have to gossip about the details of other people's lives. I also feel sorry that you all consider yourselves family when most of you would rather throw your own relatives under the bus than face the consequences of your own actions."

Elphaba turns to look at Jan and Lucas, "As for you two. I know that lawyers are supposed to be absolute leeches and disgusting people to deal with. However, you make the rest of them look like bars of gold with your behavior Lucas. Jan, I sincerely hope that the parents of the students at your school quickly discover your true nature and prevent you from teaching their children morals. Especially since you don't seem to have any yourself."

Elphaba then focuses her gaze on Sandy, "You need to learn how to open your eyes and see the truth about your children. _Jessie_ paid for this vacation, _Jessie_ is caring and loving, and _Jessie _has stood quietly by as you walk all over her and blame her for everything. I have had enough of this. You should be ashamed of yourself as a mother. You are cold and cruel to her and shouldn't deserve the honor of being called her mother. I sincerely hope that you will finally open your heart to your daughter."

Elphaba downs the rest of her champagne in one gulp. She then focuses on talking to the rest of the group once more. "Jessie and I had a wonderful time at this little get together. I truly hope you all enjoyed the rooms, food, and activities that my _fiance_ bought for you."

Before anyone could react, Elphaba pulled Jessie up and kissed her deeply in front of the entire family. Every jaw was hanging after that. Before any of them snapped out of their shock, Elphaba had led Jessie out of the dining room and towards their room.

No one in the family moved for five minutes after Elphaba's speech and quick exit. Jan and Lucas just stared at each other, not sure what to say at the moment. Sandy looked absolutely flustered at the whole thing. Paul had a smirk on his face, he was the only one in the room truly happy after that toast.

()

Jessie hadn't said much since they had gotten back to the room, prefering instead to hold Elphaba close. Elphaba was almost worried, Jessie wasn't usually this quiet.

"Are you OK?" Elphaba asked.

"I'm wonderful, my protector. Isn't it supposed to be my job to defend you?" Jessie asked, getting a shrug.

"I didn't need protection this time. Jessie, you aren't mad about this, are you?"

"Mad? Why would I be mad? I've never had anyone stick up for me before. It was nice." Jessie said, getting a relieved smile.

"Oh, I almost forgot." Elphaba said, jumping up. She went to the bedroom, getting a necklace box. Coming back, she handed it to Jessie, "It's for you." Elphaba explained. With a raised eyebrow, Jessie opened it, to reveal a shell necklace. Jessie ran her fingers over it, looking up at Elphaba with tears in her eyes.

"It's beautiful. When did you get it?" Jessie asked, curiously.

"I made it. Those shells are from the bottom of the waterfall we dove off of. You always do so much to make me feel special, I wanted to do something for you." Elphaba said, watching Jessie clasp it on her neck.

"I feel special every time I wake up to your smile. In fact, let me show my appreciation." Jessie said, scooping Elphie in her arms. Elphaba giggled, as Jessie carried her to the bedroom, kicking the door closed behind them.

()

It had taken him well over three years, but he had found that sniveling lapdog. When he returned to the island, he planned on insuring she suffered a death so vile even Sonya would willingly surrender to avoid it. Jessie would pay for what she had done. He teleported silently into the hotel room. He could sense strong magic, but it didn't concern him. No amount of magic could save her from her fate. With a quiet turn of the nob, he entered the bedroom shocked to find it empty.

"Chasing phantoms again, Shang?" A voice spoke from behind him.

Shang Tsung turned quickly, to see Raiden. "Merely coming to collect what is mine."

"She belongs to no one. She is not even of our world." Raiden said.

"Which makes her all the more valuable. I don't know what realm you transferred her to, Raiden, but I will find her. And I will kill her." Shang said.

"After three years of everything you could do to her, she lives. Tell me, Shang, how does it feel not to be able to kill a mere mortal?" Raiden said with a smirk.

"You can't protect her forever, Raiden. I will have my revenge." Shang said, before vanishing.

()

Josey was in a state of panic. She had heard about what happened yesterday with Gary. She just wanted to check on Jessie, make sure her sister was safe. She didn't know what to do. Jessie's room was empty. She walked over to Mike's room, banging on the door, until he answered.

"Josey? It's two in the morning." Mike said groggily.

"Jessie's gone. Elphie's gone, too." Josey said, in a complete panic.

"OK, calm down, sweetie. I'm sure she's fine." Mike said.

"No, no she isn't. She said she was going to stay in her room tonight." Josey said, pacing back and forth, as Marcus poked his head out.

Seeing Josey in that state, he walked over, hugging her tightly. "Calm down. What's wrong?" He whispered.

"Jessie, she's gone." Josey choked out.

"Yes, Josey, she is." Raiden's voice entered the room before he did in a flash of electricity.

"What the..." Mike said, looking him over. He looked like Christopher Lambert.

"Jessie was in mortal danger here. I've sent her someplace safe." Raiden stated.

"Mortal danger from who?" Marcus asked, angrily.

"A sorcerer named Shang Tsung." Raiden said, as though it were obvious.

"That means you're...you're Raiden." Josey said.

"That is correct. I see why Jessie loves you so much." Raiden said.

"Where did you take her?" Marcus asked, when the shock wore off.

"I can't tell you that. To do so would put you in harm's way. I can tell you that you will see her soon, and the danger will be eliminated." Raiden was truly impressed with these men's ability to accept the situation.

"Can we help?" Josey asked.

"Yes, you can continue the work that Jessie and Elphaba had started until their return. It means a lot to Jessie that it continue." Raiden said, before vanishing himself.

"It was real. She wasn't hallucenating, it was all real." Mike said, in absolute shock.


End file.
